Business, Buddies and Bundles of Bull
by TheMostExcellent
Summary: Tsunade sends Sakura on a mission to spy on the Akatsuki after learning about their capture of Gaara. Sakura goes in hopes of finding more info about Sasuke's whereabouts. But what happens when she bumps into the infamous older Uchiha?
1. Redemption

**C****onstructive criticism would be greatly appreciated =)**

* * *

><p>Sakura plopped down at her desk and rested her head on her hands. She felt exhaustion seeping in her limbs, flowing throughout her body and pooling into her mind. Her mind was in a swirl, overwhelmed by the torrent of incidents and realizations that concurrently happened in a span of a week.<p>

It seemed like only yesterday that Sasuke severed his ties with the Leaf, but since then Sakura had not been able to concentrate on her work, on her friends, on herself, on _anything_.

Today her heart beat with what she could only discern as shame. She had been indulging in self-pity since Sasuke defected.

_But how could he leave?_

_I promised him my loyalty...  
><em>

Subconsciously, she had detached herself from the perplexing reality and then fell into carelessness. Sakura sighed. _And because of me, a man who was a son…a husband… a father…just died. _

It had been difficult. She remembered the expectant gazes of the man's family, full of hope, and with one glance at her downcast expression they all broke down in tears and all the hope was gone.

She didn't need to say more. She couldn't.

In that instance she wondered, _do I truly deserve to be called as one of the best medics in the country? How can I save a patient when I can't even save myself from falling apart?_

RINGG!

RINGG!

RINGG!

Sakura jumped, startled by the sudden sound that pierced the silence. She glanced at the caller id before picking up the phone. "Tsunade-sama?"

"I apologize, Sakura. I know you're still at the hospital but will you come to the Lounge immediately after? I have an important matter to discuss with you."

* * *

><p>It was only one o'clock in the afternoon yet the Leaf Lounge was fairly full with people. Its crème walls along with the ocean view gave the place a peaceful ambiance. For the most part people ate and quietly chattered with each other while some sipped tea as they immersed themselves in a book. Others simply looked out into the ocean enjoying the serenity. Of course, Sakura knew all too well that in several hours the Lounge would be completely turned around, still bustling with people, as it welcomes the nightlife. But that was a whole different story. Sakura found Tsunade at a table in a corner and joined her.<p>

"Good. You're here," Tsunade said at once.

Sakura raised an eyebrow skeptically. She had a sense that this 'important matter' was not going to bode too well for her.

"Akatsuki has gotten Gaara."

Sakura, if possible, had her brows up even higher. "Well, I wasn't expecting that. I thought for sure that he would stay at the Sand Society with Temari and Kankuro…"

"I thought likewise," Tsunade answered abruptly. "Nonetheless, we know that Madara is very intent on his hunt for the beasts and would use any measure to get what he wants."

'Beast' was a business lingo used to describe individuals like Gaara and Naruto who had extraordinary charisma, talent, and personality which could be great assets to clubs, restaurants, hotels, etc. Lately, ambitious businessmen like Madara Uchiha and Orochimaru had been competing for these beasts driven by their greed for success.

"So… where exactly do I fit in all of this?"

And Tsunade proceeded to tell her the plan.

* * *

><p>"She wants you to spy on Akatsuki?"<p>

Sakura watched the disbelief in Ino's emerald eyes instantly vanished as she feigned melancholy. "Well, I'm gonna miss you Billboard Brow. Maybe we'll see each other again in the next life –

Sakura resisted the urge to smack her blonde best friend. "I'm not gonna die, Ino."

"Ha! What, are you expecting to spy on Akatsuki and then waltz out alive?"

Sakura raised her eyebrows – she did that a lot lately – and replied sarcastically, "Well, Ino, your confidence in me is most touching."

"I'm just concerned, okay? I mean all the members of Akatsuki are…you know…_powerful_. I just don't wanna think about what's gonna happen to you when they find out."

"_When_ they find out? They're _never_ gonna find out." Sakura was resolved to think of this mission as a chance to redeem her self. Though she couldn't save the life of her patient in the hospital, maybe she could save Gaara's and even find information about Sasuke's whereabouts and bring him back.

One could always hope...

"Have you told Naruto yet?"

Sakura sighed and shook her head. _Naruto_…well, she might as well calm her nerves before.

"Hey! I'll have two more," Sakura shook her empty glass at the bartender. "And mix some maraschino in there will ya?"

* * *

><p>"She wants you to spy on Akatsuki?"<p>

Sakura shot Naruto a drunken glare. She had hoped to hear a refreshing response from the king of the unpredictable. She was disappointed. "That's what I said."

"Ey, ey, Sakura-chan. You're not really gonna do it, are you? The Akatsuki –

"Don't, Naruto. Please."

Sakura took a swig of her rum. She fought to hold back the tears that were attempting to escape. _Not him too_. She looked at her distorted reflection on the glass and laughed emptily. Why was she crying anyway? Maybe they had a point. Maybe she _was_ weak. She _felt_ weak._  
><em>

"Sakura-chan, you're kinda scaring me. You were just crying and then you were laughing. What's going on?"

"I'm sorry. I just –

Shamefully, she finally let her tears shed. In a second, she was enveloped into Naruto's comforting brace.

She had always been weak, she knew, and he was always catching her.

But he didn't understand that she didn't need him to save her every time.

All she needed was someone to believe in her.


	2. Judgment

Sakura was anxious.

Unfortunately, her anxiety seemed to heighten her senses. She could feel sweat rolling down from her forehead. Her hands were clammy. Trivial noises made her paranoid. Her heart's thumping only made her paranoia even worse. She stole nervous side glances at the man – his features seemed inhuman – walking beside her.

The first thing she noticed was that he was _humungous_. She had no doubt that if she wasn't already nervous, his 6'9 height and _very_ muscular build would have intimidated her. He had piercing black eyes, a prominent nose and shark-like teeth.

Not to mention he had blue skin. Her medical habits kicking in, she surmised that he probably had Argyria.

They stopped in front of a door with a name plate that read:

**Madara Uchiha**

**Akatsuki CEO**

_Uchiha_.

Shark man motioned for her to go inside as he followed suit. Immediately, her eyes took in the figures sitting before her.

She scanned them from left to right –

a young man with red hair and chocolate brown eyes sat next to…

the blonde who had a smirk on his face who sat next to …

the guy with olivine hair and caramel skin who sat next to…

a man wearing an orange mask who sat next to…

another man with orange hair and several facial piercings who sat next to…

another guy who also had red hair who, finally, sat next to…

a woman with short blue hair and a labret piercing.

With the exception of the man with the mask, she noted that they were all good-looking – even intimidating. All of them wore similar black robes with red clouds. And their eyes… held a glint of curiosity that was almost ominous….

Her anxiety came back upon realizing that they were all probably going to be her judges.

"Ah, thank you Kisame, you may sit," said the masked man whom she presumed was Madara Uchiha. She wondered how he was related to Sasuke.

As Kisame took a seat beside the blue haired woman, Madara's attention reverted to her. His only visible eye moved down her figure. Though her ensemble: black yoga pants and a fitted white shirt, looked conservative enough, his gaze made her feel naked. It was uncomfortable.

"Miss Haruno?" Madara asked rhetorically. "You may begin."

Sakura started off with a pirouette, initially feeling self-conscious in the midst of the silence and attentive gazes.

_This is a mission, Sakura. Focus._

With a slight nod and a deep breathe to reassure her self, she transitioned from an arabesque pencheė to a chassė, easing into a rond de jambe, then into a grand jetė. Not wanting to make it seem like a ballet show, she incorporated hip thrusts and torso undulations in the choreography which piqued the interests of the male audience. Sakura felt her warm body tingle with energy as she performed air flares and body rolls. She was fully immersed in the dance and she had to admit, she felt _sexy_. She ended her audition number with chaînės turns and a bow.

"Excellent," Madara praised. "We will give you a call within the week once we have decided."

Sakura bowed one last time and left the room with a heavy sigh of relief.

_Whew. That was nerve-racking. _

* * *

><p>"Cherry blossom's definitely for keeps!" Deidara exclaimed as soon as Sakura left the room.<p>

There was a murmur of assent at the blonde's opinion.

"Mmhm, she was hot too!" Yahiko chimed in earning him a smack from the blue haired Konan.

Ignoring Yahiko's complaints about the consequential headache, Konan contributed, "I approve. She's _different_ and I anticipate that she will be a sensation at Club Akatsuki."

Madara judged from the ensuing silence that they all agreed with her. He himself could not deny that the pink haired wonder had made a lasting impression. Without further ado, he motioned to the man with rich caramel skin and olivine hair, "Then Zetsu, be sure to give her a call tomorrow."

* * *

><p>"Oh, Itachi, don't leave…" purred the busty woman slung over his left arm.<p>

The raven haired man looked unfazed by the woman's attempt at seduction. He smirked. _Women…they're all the same_.

It was two hours before midnight and Club Akatsuki was filled to the brim. The dance floor was swarming with sweaty bodies, moving in various rhythms as _The Pain_ rocked the stage. Yahiko, the front man, slid his fingers skillfully across the guitar frets as he sung their hit song "Children of the Rain". Konan played the bass alongside while Nagato thrashed on the drums, occasionally twirling the drumsticks between his fingers like a baton.

Itachi sat on a corner booth with the two girls he picked up, Jun and Ximena. They were certainly attention-grabbing with their short dresses that exposed their big breasts and long legs. And while they were entertaining the first couple of hours, he soon grew weary of them. Carefully, he tried to pry their attention off him but to no avail.

"Yo, Itachi!"

Itachi's head shot up in relief. He stood up forcefully and walked towards Kisame leaving two upset women.

Kisame shook his head. "You know, it wouldn't hurt to add some women with class to your list."

"What for? They're only good for a couple of hours anyway."

"Yeah, well Boss is pretty miffed that you weren't at the judging."

"Hn."

"We had a meeting too. Boss assigned us to capture the beast Rōshi."

"Anything else?"

Kisame shook his head.

"Then it's best we leave as soon as possible."


	3. Victimized

Sakura headed to the Senju mansion to report to Tsunade-sama as soon as the auditions ended. Somehow, her performance at the Akatsuki headquarters had left her feeling exhilarated and had renewed her confidence in herself. Thus, she felt even better about the outcome of mission.

"I presume it went well?"

"Hai. They said they will call me about the result within this week. "

"Good. I already cleared your records for safe measure. It's only temporary but it should suffice should they decide to check your background."

Sakura nodded and was about to speak when she noticed Tsunade's assistant, Shizune, apprehensively approaching their table.

"Tsunade-sama, Master Jiraiya called saying that he will not be home for two days."

"And why the hell not?"

Shizune laughed nervously and edged away slowly before replying, "He said that he is going to be busy… doing_ research_ for his next book."

"THAT CHEATING BASTARD!" The table shook under Tsunade's fists, her chest heaving with anger. "Shizune. Bring me my sake."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama."

Shizune couldn't have left faster. Based on Tsunade-sama's sudden outburst, Sakura concluded that the rumors about Master Jiraiya's infidelity were probably true. Although, she couldn't fathom why Master Jiraiya would even want another woman in the first place. Despite her age, Tsunade-sama was undeniably beautiful. She was also one of the most powerful and highly respected people in the business industry. But she did have a terrible temper.

Tsunade's anger slowly dissipated after Shizune returned with a bottle of sake. Sakura silently watched her mentor down the beverage. _I'd wear an armor before coming home, Master Jiraiya._

"Temari dropped by not long after our meeting yesterday," Tsunade resumed. "Sand Society is on alert and heavily guarded. Right now, they are very vulnerable. They need Gaara back before other corporations find out that he had been captured."

Sakura nodded in understanding. "I will do my best, Tsunade-sama."

* * *

><p>Sakura's 'life' had become synonymous with her 'work'. She needed alleviation of all the stress that had stemmed from working long hours at the hospital while also running Leaf Co. with Tsunade. Ino's proposal had been to go out partying to which Sakura grudgingly agreed. After all, she could not deny that Ino was right.<p>

Sakura arrived at the Lounge in a black strapless dress that flattered her toned legs and red pumps. Her long cherry locks hung down in loose curls and her makeup was minimal. But the simplicity of her style did not deter onlookers from being allured as she passed their way. The Lounge - now transformed into a night club - was packed with psyched partiers. She headed straight to the balcony knowing that her friends had booked a VIP room.

As she neared, high-pitched squeals and giggles became more audible and she mentally smacked herself. _How could I have forgotten about the fangirls?_ She quickly whipped out her phone and called security.

"Iruka?"

"On my way."

It had become such a common occurrence that Iruka needn't be told what to do. Within minutes, he came back with a group of Chunin guards who skillfully parted the crowd to make way for Sakura.

"'Sakura-chan!', 'Forehead girl!', Naruto and Ino called simultaneously as the cherry head walked in.

Naruto shoved Ino aside, excitement emanating from his glimmering blue eyes. "Sakura-chan! Did you watch our game?"

"Ah, that's right, you guys played Suna's Scorpions tonight."

"Nah. We played the Sound Serpents instead. Sand Society thought it would seem kinda suspicious to the press if Gaara was missing from their team. BUT WE WON! I totally kicked Jūgo's a–

Naruto was intercepted by a perturbed Temari. "Did you see Gaara when you were at the Akatsuki headquarters by any chance?"

Sakura replied with an apologetic look. "Sorry, Temari, I didn't."

Seeing Temari's downcast expression, Ino quickly changed the course of the conversation. "But hey Forehead, you arrived in time. We were just celebrating Neji's promotion. He's a Jonin now."

Sakura's gaze locked with Neji's. He gave her an acknowledging nod which she returned with a meaningful smile. Neji and Sakura had dated awhile back. They found that they were similar in many ways hence their relationship had lasted for a long time. Some even thought that Sakura was going to be the next matron of the Hyuga branch family. However, Sasuke had a bigger place in Sakura's heart. Needless to say, Sakura's friends were more disappointed over the end of the relationship than she had been. She knew that they hoped she had finally forgotten Sasuke. She sighed.

_Sometimes, I wish I had too. _

* * *

><p>"Please! Please! What do you want?"<p>

The raven haired man marveled at the woman's cries. She was sprawled on the floor, her pleading face glistening with tears. Did she expect _him_ to perform a miracle and just walk away with no kill? He scoffed at the thought. He tightened his grip on the woman's husband. Of course, he knew that the aged man was also double spy and not quite as fragile as he looked. He felt the spy stiffen as he released the gun's lock.

"NO! Please, don't." The woman's cries rang desperation. "Why - w-what do you want from us?"

He felt a malicious smile form before he replied, "Well now, I hadn't thought about that. What do you have to offer _me_?"

The woman seemed flustered at the killer's response. As a matter of fact, the raven haired man had only been told to eliminate the spy. But, that did not mean he couldn't make the job a little more _interesting_...

"Take our money! Just _please_ leave us alone!"

"Natsuki! Don't do it. I'll be fine," the spy gritted through his teeth.

The raven haired man merely expressed his amusement as he reiterated in mockery, "Yes, _Natsuki_. Don't do it. He_ will_ be fine."

Natsuki only glared back but he could tell that she was holding back the profanities so as not to provoke him.

"Well Natsuki, I expected more from you."

The killer's last words disappeared along with the woman's resolve as he pulled the trigger.

Natsuki could only stare dumbfounded at the red and white fan that adorned the back of the killer's shirt as she watched him walk away._  
><em>


	4. Discovered

"Ey Neji. I know you're gonna be busier now that you're a Jonin guard, but you're still gonna play right?"

The Konoha Kings was Leaf Co.'s most celebrated basketball team. They had earned prominence in sports and were known to be formidable opponents. Neji, Lee, Kiba, Naruto, Sai and Konohamaru were all permanent members since they all had individual skills that were valuable to the team. On the other hand, the rest of the players were in a continuous competition against one another in order to retain their spots.

Neji downed his remaining liquor before responding coolly to Naruto. "Yes. It had been decided that if a mission conflicted with our games, a substitute will be allowed to play on my behalf."

Ino tuned out the boys' discussion and turned to the girls. She brought out a couple of shopping bags and handed them to Sakura who looked at her in confusion.

Ino elaborated, "Since you're gonna be a dancer at Akatsuki and all, we thought you might need clothes that are…more suited…for the job."

Sakura picked up the pink shopping bag, her face reddening upon pulling out a black latex tube top with a matching mini skirt. She opened the other bags and found a pair of stilettos, a silk negligee, and _lots_ of lace.

"INO!" Sakura cried out in humiliation. When everyone in the room turned their heads in her direction, she lowered her voice. "Ino, I'm going to be a _dancer_. Not a stripper!"

"Well, Sakura," Tenten inputted. "I may not know much about Akatsuki, but I know that they're gonna want you to sell. And sexy sells."

Suddenly, Sakura heard a whizzing sound and turned her head in time to see the glass window that once overlooked the dance floor, shatter into thousands of sparkling shards. She glimpsed at the stunned faces of the partiers below before she saw them disperse into a commotion.

Her friends' bewildered voices became muddled in the background as her gaze stumbled upon a small object that had landed inches from her feet. She picked it up.

_A puppet?_

The miniature puppet had pink hair and was dressed in black pants and a white shirt. It was attached to a sharpened metal which she supposed was what broke through the window. _It looks like me._ Sakura stiffened when she saw a small piece of paper peeking from under its shirt. She hastily undressed the puppet and found that its stomach was a little compartment. Hesitantly, she opened it, her hands shaking as she read the piece of paper.

_I know who you are._

* * *

><p>Itachi and Kisame arrived at the City of Stone the following afternoon. True to its name, everything - from houses, buildings and skyscrapers - seemed to be made of stones and rocks giving the place a dreary feel. Hence, the blue waters that cascaded from the sizable stony mountains and the lush leaves that grew from mini gardens seemed somewhat unnatural.<p>

It had started to rain unexpectedly forcing two wet Akatsuki to duck into the nearest joint. The Rock Tavern proved to be a haven for rowdy, brawny, bearded men who reminded Kisame of cavemen. The place itself resembled a cave. There were no windows thus trapping in the musty odor combined with the smell of spilled beer and sweat. It was dim - the only source of light was a light bulb which seemed to be flickering its way to its near end. Warmth emanated from the numerous bodies stuffed inside.

At the moment, the rowdy cavemen were engrossed in what seemed like a fight, animatedly shaking their fists in the air while yelling unintelligibly. Itachi and Kisame dodged their way around the crowd to get a better view.

In the middle of the circle were two men; the first man had dark hair and an unkempt beard. He was the same size as his opponent though judging from his bruised eye and bloody face, he seemed to have received the most damage between the two. The other man had flaming red hair and an equally red beard. He watched his opponent stagger with a triumphant smile.

Kisame nudged his raven haired partner, his eyes never leaving the red haired man. "Hey Itachi, that looks like our man, Rōshi!"

Itachi nodded. A bulkier bearded man had entered the circle to announce that Rōshi had won. The crowd erupted into a rambunctious roar.

"DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO TAKE ON THE MIGHTY BEAST RŌSHI?"

It was Itachi's turn to nudge Kisame.

Kisame shot him a sinister smile that bared his sharp incisors. His raspy voice commanded attention. "I will."

The rowdy cavemen quieted down, parting to make way for the courageous challenger. Kisame did not have to look to know that they all stared at his imposing figure in immediate awe. He cracked his knuckles with a smirk.

"You don't seem to be from around here," Rōshi observed as he poised into his fighting stance.

"No. Now let's cut the talking, _Rōshi_."

The red haired man initiated the first punch which Kisame foresaw and evaded in time. Just as quickly though more precisely, he returned the blow, his speed surprising Rōshi. He used this moment of shock to plant another punch but Rōshi had regained focus and dodged.

The red haired man swiftly slid at an angle before striking once more. Kisame took one step back to avoid the hit then one step forward to slam his fist on Rōshi's face. Red liquid squirted tainting his blue fist. Taking advantage of Rōshi's lowered guard, he directed several more punches his way.

Kisame cast a glorious look at the bloodied beast.

"I win."

The red haired beast wiped some blood off his mouth. "Not even."

Kisame swung his fist once more, this time aiming at his gut. Rōshi blocked his punch with his left hand, using his right to deliver a powerful hit at the blue man's shoulder.

Kisame only faltered for a second before putting all his weight into his knuckles, letting it collide with the beast's stomach.

Rōshi coughed out more blood.

Without hesitation, Kisame resolved to end the fight with a series of hits aimed at his face and gut.

"_Now_, I win."


	5. Situated

Sakura stood in front of Hotel Akatsuki feeling vexed. It had been two days since she received the confirmation call concerning the auditions. She hadn't been too surprised to find out that she had gotten in. She felt secure enough about her dexterity in dancing. However, it was the anonymous note that she had gotten that same night that kept nudging her instinct.

**I know who you are.**

_What did that even mean?_

The fact that the note had been delivered in a puppet had made her suspect Kankuro at first. Though the more she thought it through, the more implausible the idea became. The message did not befit her relationship with Kankuro. _Obviously_, he knew who she was. Not only were Leaf Co. and Sand Society partners in business, but she was also a close friend of his sister, Temari. On the contrary, she did not know anybody else who specialized in puppets besides him.

Which led her to her current conjecture; whoever it had been was probably a member of Akatsuki. After all, they were the only ones who did not know who she _truly_ was. But so soon? She hadn't even begun her official 'spying' yet. She couldn't even bare to think about the humiliation she would face when she tells everyone that she got busted before even starting.

Still, the nagging feeling was unshakeable.

_If they did find out, then why are they still letting me spy on them?_

Somehow this felt like a warning; the note being the portentous BEWARE sign, with an unvoiced advice for the wise - **Do not underestimate the Akatsuki**.

Sakura pulled her luggage towards the hotel's entrance. Still deeply immersed in her thoughts, she almost overlooked the doorman who was addressing her.

"Bonsoir, beautiful miss," he greeted, holding the door open for her.

Sakura could not help but do a double take. Truly, the doorman could rival Kisame in the category of 'unnatural-looking', though in an entirely different way. While Kisame's distinctive features were his blue skin and unusually massive build, the doorman was simply too...fantastical. Practically perfect. His long ashen hair was slicked back, accentuating his strong jawline, prominent nose and penetrating eyes. His fair skin complemented his ample crimson lips. All he needed were fangs and he could have been a vampire. Or a movie star if one were to be more realistic. But certainly he was too handsome to be a doorman.

"Thank you...ah...?"

"Hidan, mademoiselle."

Sakura nodded before entering, "We'll be seeing each other a lot, Hidan."

In the lobby, the blue haired woman from the audition sat on a black divan. She stood up to meet Sakura when she saw her coming in. The cherry head faltered in her steps upon recognizing the woman.

"Miss Haruno. My name's Konan."

Sakura gave her a weak smile, unsure of how to respond. Truthfully, she had been too caught up in previous matters to have been prepared to be...unprepared, for the lack of a better word.

"Uh, it's nice to meet you. Again."

If Konan had noticed her distraction she simply dismissed it. "I will show you to your room. Normally this is Kisame's job. However, he just got back from a mission and is currently talking to the Boss."

Since Sakura had been accepted to work as a dancer, _technically_ she was now an Akatsuki. One of the few conditions of job was that as long as she worked for them, she would have to live in Akatsuki premises. Undoubtedly, in order to monitor her actions. _Trust_ seemed to be a nonexistent word to them. Ergo, she was now going to live in Hotel Akatsuki.

The ride up the elevator had been, more or less, awkward. Konan appeared to be quite reserved, only speaking when necessary, no words wasted. She supposed that was to be expected of an Akatsuki. But damn, if this was how they were all going to be, she might end up killing herself out of boredom rather than abandon.

They stopped at the seventeenth floor. Sakura had been both astounded and ecstatic to find that she was going to be living in the Imperial Suite. Later she would wonder if the rooms of the other Akatsuki were as luxurious as hers. At the moment she was too preoccupied trying to drink in all the details.

The walls were pitch black almost camouflaging a flat screen tv that was affixed. There was a small kitchen in one corner complete with sink, stove, fridge and necessary utensils and ceramics. On another corner was a bar fully equipped with a variety of beverages and liquor. _I have a feeling I would be spending a lot of time in that corner._ Adjacent to it was a door which she guessed was the bathroom. Not too far was her king sized bed which was covered in white satin sheets and decked with red cloud pillows. She almost burst out in laughter. She recognized the Akatsuki's signature red clouds symbol alright. But this time, they had overdone themselves.

She passed through an archway revealing an indoor pool that jutted out to the balcony. From there, the view was breathtaking.

The dark ocean reflected the light that radiated from the full moon and the colorful city. Sakura closed her eyes, comforted by the ocean's fragrance and the wind's sweet caress on her face. These were the type of moments she wished she could share with _someone._

"Pretty sick, huh?"

The raspy voice brought Sakura out of her reverie. Well, she hadn't been expecting _this_ someone.

"Kisame! Where did you- uh...where did Konan go?"

_How long has he been just standing here?_

"She left. I will be your...bodyguard, I suppose we can call it that."

Sakura noticed Kisame's puffy eye which had turned a shade of blue darker than his skin. She tiptoed, leaning in closer to examine it causing the Akatsuki to step back in alarm.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Did you get in a fight? Your eye is swollen."

She saw his broad shoulders loosen in relief. "Oh, yeah. Had to. It was a mission."

Sakura was going to offer him her medical assistance but the evening breeze had made her feel too enlivened. She decided that tonight, she deserved a little fun. She closed the distance between them, once again leaning her face inches away from his. She watched his eyes widen as she licked her lips playfully.

"Why Kisame, were you expecting -

She let her fingertips brush the side of his face.

"..._something else_?"

She tilted her head slightly as if to kiss him but stopped right before their lips could touch.

"Uh..h, whaa-

Sakura bit her lip to hold the laughter that was attempting to burst out. Kisame looked drugged eying her lips with yearning. She was almost tempted to give him an apologetic peck, but decided that it was probably unwise to do so. He could misinterpret her actions as an invitation to delve in deeper. And judging from his size, she knew escape would be impossible. Sakura cleared her throat.

"Well, if that's it, then you may go. I won't be leaving my room tonight."

"Right," Kisame mumbled as he headed out.

Sakura plopped down on her bed with a smirk_. _

_I might've been a little cruel._


	6. Recognition

"I killed him. It was too easy. You said you'd make me_ stronger_!"

The man being addressed was slumped on a chair, his limp arms dangling at his sides. His amber eyes had slit-shaped pupils not unlike those of the snake that coiled around his shoulders. Beside him stood a younger man with grey hair that was held back in a ponytail and circular glasses that hid his charcoal eyes. Both watched the raven haired prodigy in amusement as he threw a hissy fit much like a seven year old.

"Patience, _Sasuke_."

Suddenly the man with the snake found himself under the mercy of the younger Uchiha whose Kusanagi blade threatened to slash his throat. However, the man himself had once been hailed a genius too. The boy was foolish to have acted so rash. In fact, if he hadn't suited the man's purpose, he would have been dead already.

The grey haired man positioned himself to retaliate.

"I'm not going to waste my time with you, _Orochimaru_," Sasuke hissed. "I have to get stronger so I can kill Itachi."

"Careful, Uchiha. Everything you're doing has a purpose. You don't have enough _hate_ to beat Itachi."

"I _have_ enough hate! He killed our family -

"Your heart is too soft," Orochimaru interjected firmly, his words echoing endlessly into the boy's ears.

Sasuke lowered the blade from his throat and turned instead to face him. As if to accept an undeclared challenge, his onyx eyes never faltered as he looked square into his snake slits.

"_Oh_? Well then it's about time we straighten out the _facts_."

* * *

><p>A certain raven haired man entered Club Akatsuki at eleven o'clock in the evening. Dressed in black jeans, a dark mauve dress shirt and an unbuttoned mocha vest, the cluster of women that had just clung onto him confirmed what he already knew - he was irresistible. He was headed to his usual booth when he caught sight of an unmistakable blue man.<p>

"Had I missed something over night, Kisame? I thought clubs were too detestable for your taste."

Kisame turned from his seat at the sound of the familiar voice and shot Itachi a glare. "Nothing's changed." Pointing his beer at the stage, he clarified, "I'm supposed to be guarding the new dancer."

Itachi's attention averted to the stage which was resplendent with red and orange flames.

Artificial ones, anyway.

A pink haired woman clad in golden stilettos and a tight red dress was sensuously swaying her hips. The fake flames had intensified the rich color of her dress and had cast shadows that flattered her covetable curves. Lust-driven men had clumped around the stage, their voracious eyes burning into the cherry haired sensation. Itachi's gaze lingered on her a little longer. He was not exempt from being fascinated by her allure as it was indeed impossible not to be. Kisame had mentioned that she was new and he knew, as a regular of the club, that his partner was being truthful. Though for a reason he could not put a finger on, he was certain that he had seen her before.

"Where did she say she was from?"

"City of Sand. Why?"

"I haven't been with a Suna woman in a while," Itachi lied, ridding his expression of any emotion that could arouse suspicion. For once, he found his playboy status a convenience.

"Well, better be careful. That woman's trouble."

Itachi raised his brows in question, awaiting an explanation. To his amazement, the blue man reddened in embarrassment as he mumbled 'Nothing'. Now Itachi was _interested_.

Kisame sighed in relief as the audience's booming applause and shouts of appreciation reverted his partner's attention to the stage. The lights were slowly dimming signaling the end of the show and the female silhouette was soon swallowed up in darkness.

* * *

><p>Sakura froze.<p>

She had called Kisame to tell him to meet her backstage. However, she had been taken aback at the sight of the man he brought with him. The dark hair...those onyx eyes...murderous. _Sasuke._

But it wasn't Sasuke. No.

Seeing Itachi elicited so many emotions in Sakura. For one, it had startled her that he looked so much like the younger Uchiha. He could have been an older version of Sasuke. It had also dawned on her that she was standing just feet away from the man who ruthlessly murdered his whole family, only sparing little Sasuke. _Sasuke_. He was barely eight and already he was tainted. Broken. All because of _him_. She was suddenly filled with utter disgust.

Quickly shrouding her surprise, she forced herself to relax so as not to alert him of her recognition. However, nothing missed Itachi's discerning eyes. _So, I do know her after all._

Kisame was not completely oblivious. He had caught the shock on Sakura's face when she saw him appear with Itachi and the glint in the older Uchiha's eyes, as if he knew who she was. Nonetheless and maybe unnecessarily, he introduced them to each other. Formalities, he supposed. "Sakura, this is Itachi, my..._friend_. Itachi, Sakura."

Itachi gave a slight nod in her direction. "I'm quite surprised that I should find a beautiful woman like you working here, _Sakura-san_."

Kisame simply rolled his eyes while the cherry head seethed with repulsion. He was just as cocky as Sasuke, if not more. But for some reason, it irritated her profusely when it was _him_. Maybe it was because she knew just by looking at him that he was a man who could make thousands of women weak in their knees simply by the seduction of his eyes and the lure of his baritone voice. She had no doubt that he expected her to be the same. It had crossed her mind that maybe he had given her an honest compliment. However, she felt more inclined to think of him as the 'bad brother'. Thus she merely rebounded the statement into a question. "Yes, I'm beautiful. And I work here. How is that surprising _Itachi-san_?"

Itachi felt a smirk tugging at his lips. Her hair certainly wasn't the only fiery thing about her.

"No reason."

Finally, someone _interesting_._  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Writing scenes involving Orochimaru is not my favorite, but necessary. And thanks to all who actually read this story. Not gonna lie I had no ideas as to where this story was headed because I intended for this to be bits of random scenes, but after a day at the beach and night at the jacuzzi, I got it figured out!

More to come =)


	7. Rejection

_Darkness._

Sakura's eyes were wide and searching, but she knew it was futile. No matter which way she turned, it was pitch black.

She couldn't see anything. But she heard it…a faint wailing. A child?

Sakura listened for the origin of the sound, but it seemed to be coming from all directions.

She continued to walk blindly using her hands as guide until she realized that she hadn't touched anything on her way.

Only cold air.

Aside from the child she had heard, she was utterly alone.

Then for the first time, she saw splashes of dark red and decided to follow it.

The crying child was also getting nearer…

Nearer…

Sakura stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the child…a tiny baby.

It was drowning in a tub… flailing…crying…choking on the blood bath.

Sakura was about to rescue the baby when she saw her self start to walk away.

As if the baby hadn't been there at all.

As if she had completely forgotten about it.

However, her panic was short-lived when she saw her self turning back.

She sighed in relief.

But then she saw her self walk away again. Without the baby.

Her frustration grew as she watched her self come to retrieve the baby several more times only to continually forget about it.

The baby's desperate cries of help agonized Sakura as it echoed endlessly in the darkness.

* * *

><p>Sakura awoke gasping for air. <em>The baby.<em> _The blood._

Deliberately, she came back to awareness. It was blinding but she welcomed the sunlight that poured into her room. She felt as though she had emerged from an icy abyss and the warmth had melted the horror.

It barely registered on her that someone had been knocking at the door. She would have to ponder over the dream later on. Hastily, she slid her arms in her satin robe and checked herself in the mirror before answering.

Kisame stood regally in his Akatsuki robe, arms crossed, with a devious grin that showcased his razor-sharp pearly whites. "Morning lil cherry."

"Ya. Come in," Sakura replied rolling her eyes.

Kisame settled on a burgundy settee as the cherry head disappeared into the bathroom and then her walk-in closet. She came out dressed in white jeans and a lavender halter top, her hair left in messy waves. As she put on some fragrant lotion, she asked, "So what's the schedule today?"

"Breakfast. We do whatever you want. Go back."

"That's it?"

Kisame nodded. "Tomorrow's the busy day. Boss's birthday party and all."

"Birthday party?" Sakura looked incredulously at the blue man. A picture of the rigid Akatsuki members all wearing colorful party hats and singing Happy Birthday Big Boss popped into her mind. She laughed at the comical concept. Kisame looked at her as if she had gone crazy.

"So how exactly does Akatsuki celebrate birthdays?"

* * *

><p>Itachi always reserved his free mornings for hours of quietude at Cafe Akatsuki.<p>

In this particular morning, it was much needed.

Absentmindedly, he sipped his tea as he peered out the glass window onto the bustling city. Gradually his thoughts shifted from the miniscule figures to the events of the previous night.

He let out a soft chuckle as he thought about Sakura. He had yet to find out her purposes for working in Akatsuki. His only guess was that she had been ordered to an espionage mission. Regardless, the woman was fascinating and he looked forward to seeing her again. He remembered her from his childhood. The pink haired girl in Sasuke's class. He did not see her around much but whenever he did she was always following his little brother.

She had grown up to be quite a beautiful woman. Aside from her physical appeal, it was her confidence and feisty personality that truly attracted him. But he supposed the real reason why he had accepted her so easily was because they both hailed from the Leaf and he felt some sort of kinship towards her. On the contrary, he had sensed antipathy from her and he doubted that it was solely due to the fact that he killed his family. There was a stronger underlying reason which he intended to find out. In the meantime, it was too early to form fixed opinions.

Then there was Konan.

After he had left Kisame and Sakura, he found the blue haired bassist packing up her instrument. She looked up upon seeing a flash of black on the corner of her eye.

"Itachi."

"You heading home?"

"In a minute."

"I'll take you."

Konan broke from his gaze and closed the case of her bass. "It's fine. I was gonna go with Yahiko and Nagato."

"I'll take you," Itachi reiterated.

Konan sighed at the persistent Uchiha. She had been mistaken to think that rejecting his affections would be enough to discourage his advances. He was Itachi after all. And although she was grateful and even touched that he liked her so much, she didn't feel the same way about him. Not anymore. Had he confessed to her two years earlier instead of two months before, she might've said yes. But even then, her attraction had been based on his looks and skills. His personality wasn't rotten. It might have been that they were _too_ alike.

"How have you been?" he asked once they had settled into his black Audi.

"The same."

"Anything new?"

"Itachi -

"I just wanna know."

"Nothing's new. Look, you didn't have to take me."

"I wanted to."

"I know. But you gotta stop doing this."

Itachi paused for a moment and she saw that he seemed to be in a thought.

"I thought you'd know me better, Konan," he finally said.

"I do_. _You want to be with me."

"So you know."

"I don't want to be with you."

He kept brooding over her words._ I don't want to be with you_. And why wouldn't she? All those women had told him he was good-looking. She was witness to his skills in fighting and killing. He had always treated her with respect. They shared _many_ interests, particularly in music. He refused to accept her sorry excuse; that it wouldn't work out. If anything they were perfect for each other.

...was there someone else?

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Sakura's dream isn't redundant or random. Some say that people's dreams can reveal a lot about their past, personality, feelings...themselves. There are three important things in Sakura's dream: darkness, blood, and the forgotten baby.


	8. Resolution

**Note:** I haven't been able to update recently because of school and all the commotion in our area due to bomb threats and power outages (meaning no internet).

* * *

><p>Itachi felt much like a leper with the way Konan was avoiding him the following night.<p>

He watched the blue haired woman flit like a butterfly whenever she saw him approaching. Now Itachi was a patient man; it was a common virtue among the Uchihas, but he was no martyr_. _A person can only handle so much.

_Maybe she's playing hard-to-get?_ Itachi quickly shoved the ridiculous idea aside. Konan was not one to play games, a trait which he found respectable. Her beauty was such that among the throng of overdressed women in the party, she stood out wearing a simple black dress. It would have been excusable had she decided to toy with men's hearts. However, she had done no such thing.

This brought him back to his original and most dreaded assumption - she was interested in someone else. _Who?_ He knew not. The only men she spent particularly a lot of time around were Yahiko and Nagato, which was understandable since they were a band after all.

Overall, it was a convoluted issue that he would have to let go for the time being.

Just in time, his gaze fell upon a certain cherry head arriving at the scene.

* * *

><p>Sakura tried not to dwell too hard on the fact that the Boss had insisted that she accompany him at his "birthday party".<p>

She had been tempted to decline politely seeing as this mission had already forced her out of her comfort zone. But to be the leader's _date_? It was an open invitation to fraternize with the enemy. While she was at it, she might as well forsake Leaf Co. and follow Sasuke's footsteps.

But it was for the same reasons that she had grudgingly accepted the offer. This mission was not a luxury vacation filled with self-pampering. She was loyal to Leaf Co. and will do anything in her power to find Sasuke and bring him back. If that meant discomfort and relinquishing control, so be it. If that meant submitting her dignity to the masked pervert that was snaking his arms around her waist...

her eyes darted around the populated ballroom in search of an open bar.

* * *

><p>Pairs of eyes, notably onyx ones, watched the pink haired beauty beside the Boss.<p>

She wore an ecru dress which hugged her curves with a v-shaped neckline that bared a modest amount of cleavage. Her pink locks were kept in a messy chignon, revealing peridot earrings that correlated with her green eyes. She was beyond beautiful. And judging from the roomful of people who had been shut silent, their breaths stolen by her presence, he knew he wasn't the only one.

She was _breathtaking._

However, he was alone in noticing that there was something amiss in her smile. He watched the Boss pull her around the room as he introduced her to everyone. All the while, her fingers fidgeted and her smile was forced. When presented the opportunity, he saw her make a bee line for the bar. Feeding his curiosity, he decided to join her.

"Bit early to be hitting the bar, don't you agree, Sakura-san?"

As he sat down, her emerald eyes flashed with a mixture of surprise and impatience. "I'd say the same to you, Itachi-san."

"I'll have a sidecar, Kakuzu," he told the bartender separately before responding, "I'm only here to accompany you."

"Accompany me?" Sakura laughed at the absurdity. "What your Uchiha brains not smart enough to figure out I wanted to_ get away_ from company?"

"I'm not here to cater to your convenience."

"Then why _are_ you here?"

"Bored. I thought you might entertain me."

Sakura raised her brows at his suggestive answer. She was unsure by what he meant but she gave him a once-over nonetheless. He was wearing a maroon dress shirt which was slightly unbuttoned and black pants. His drab clothing deepened the darkness of his sombre eyes. He was handsome, there was no point in denying that. _Sasuke will look like this in a few years..._

Meanwhile, Itachi saw her defensive expression shift into alarm. He was confused until he saw her eyes drop to his shoes and slowly ascend to his face.

_I thought you might entertain me._

He smirked at the realization.

"Good enough for you?"

Her muddled eyes met his mysterious ones. "Hm? Oh uh, pardon me?"

Itachi cleared his throat hiding an amused smile. "I heard that there will be a meteor shower tonight. Would you like to watch it with me?"

* * *

><p>Konan narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Itachi and the new dancer, Sakura, as they exited the ballroom doors.<p>

Had he already moved on?

For reasons unknown to her, she did not feel relieved as she thought she would. On the contrary, she was peeved and flustered.

Only yesterday he was determined to have her attention, almost demanding it. Now, he did not even spare her a glance before he left. She knew it shouldn't matter because she could never return his love.

She was used to his affection, that was all. Subconsciously, she had taken comfort in knowing that she could always fall back on him.

Konan shook her head and tried to stifle the new-found possessiveness that she felt.

Ridiculous. He'd never fall for the cherry head anyway.


	9. Mystery

**Note:** Sorry, I guess I won't be updating as much. September and October are especially busy months for me. :/

* * *

><p>Itachi brought Sakura to the hotel's garden where they sat on a wooden bench.<p>

For a while they remained quiet; Itachi having found solace and Sakura gazing in awe at the starry heavens. Noticing her minute shivering, he draped his Akatsuki robe on her, glad that it could mean something other than loyalty and intimidation. Sakura muttered a polite thank you.

She did not know how long they had been sitting there but the silence was stretching to awkwardness and she felt inclined to initiate conversation. She was about to speak when the raven haired Akatsuki spoke, beating her to the punch.

"Why work at the Akatsuki?"

She looked at him curiously, not having expected the question (though it sounded more like an inquiry). "What do you mean?"

"You don't seem to be enjoying your job."

"Well, it_ is_ a job. Rarely anyone actually _enjoys_ their work."

"If that's the case, then I'll ask you again, why work at the Akatsuki? Suna is a prospering city, surely they offer similar jobs there."

"I don't see how that's any of -

"Not when you were dancing at the club and not when the leader paraded you to people who were captivated by your beauty - you didn't seem to enjoy any of it."

"That's becau-

"At least in Suna, you will be with your family."

Sakura paused to observe Itachi's perfect profile. There was a tenderness in his voice when he said the word _family_ that her thoughts immediately hit home. She thought about all the people she had left - Tsunade-sama, Naruto, Ino, Shizune, Hinata, Neji, Tenten, Sai, Shikamaru, Choji, and all the others - her _family_. She had missed them dearly and was still trying to figure out how to visit or send a message without Kisame finding out. She also thought of Sasuke who was not home but nonetheless a part of her family. But thinking of Sasuke only reverted her attention back to Itachi who was in turn looking at her. His black orbs only grew darker under the night.

She threw his musings back at him. "Do _you_ enjoy working for Akatsuki? Don't you have _family_?"

Mission be damned, Sakura could care less at the moment. When she saw the fleeting wistfulness in his eyes, she was certain that they both knew what the underlying meaning was in the question she posed. It was true that she had temporarily forgotten the desperation she felt about bringing Sasuke back. Oh, Gaara too. She had been too busy acquainting herself with her new life that she had not had time to just _think_. But now, the only one who could satiate her plea for answers was sitting right beside her.

Judging from his momentary silence, he was probably deliberating his response so as not to give away private information while retaining the truth.

"I work for Akatsuki in order to_ protect_ my family," Itachi finally responded.

He knew that she understood the true implication of his words - that his only family left was Sasuke and that was because he loved him too much to kill him. It was up to her to believe him...or judge him like many others had.

Even in the darkness he could see Sakura's emerald eyes glazing with unshed tears. In an almost inaudible whisper he heard her say, "He's hurting because of you."

He was almost surprised to see her unveil all the emotions she had been hiding. The sadness, anger, love, pleading, submission... _weakness_. At the mere mention of Sasuke, she had wordlessly admitted her affiliation with the Leaf, leaving herself openly vulnerable.

He was glad that his little brother had people like her who regarded him with such allegiance. But it was a pity that it might have to cost her life as he could see it already cost her happiness.

"He's working to become stronger. You should do the same if you truly care about him."

"At least I'm not a traitor," she spat out defensively, feeling heated from his implied criticism. "At least I care enough to actually _be_ there for him."

The sound of Itachi's laugh startled Sakura. And quite befitting of a criminal, his laugh was cold and condescending.

"You speak as if you understand," he challenged.

"You killed innocent people, your _family_! What's left to understand?"

"I did spare the only innocent Uchiha, if that's what you mean."

Sakura opened her mouth to retort but stopped as she replayed what he had said. The _only_ innocent Uchiha? With a puzzled look she asked, "What are you talking about?"

"View it whichever way you want but I meant what I said. Sasuke_ was_ the only innocent Uchiha."

"I don't understa-

"I'm going inside," Itachi interjected as he stood abruptly. "You should follow after you watch the meteor shower."

He turned his back and started walking away before Sakura could protest. She heaved out a sigh and raised her head towards the heavens. It seemed like she had been presented with more mysteries than answers during her stay at Akatsuki. Coupled with the fact that Itachi was not even fooled by her cover. It was a clear indication that she was incompetent in executing this mission properly.

Sakura gasped as she came to a sudden realization. What if the puppet had been from Itachi?

So far he was the only Akatsuki she could think of who knew who she_ truly_ was. However, her hypothesis had defects. The puppet had been dressed exactly how she had at the auditions but she did not recall seeing Itachi among the judges. There was a slight chance it was merely coincidental, but her gut feeling told her otherwise. Also, Itachi did not seem like the type to send unsigned warnings. Then again she did not know him.

Sakura's emerald orbs flickered towards the black velvet sky that was now being slashed by knives of white flames.

_Wow, an actual meteor shower._

Itachi cast one last look at the cherry head before he entered the door.

Her feminine silhouette stared at night sky above - her head uplifted in wonder and delight - as it became illuminated by the showers of light.

In his onyx eyes, it was a picture far more mystical and sublime than the celebrated Mona Lisa.


	10. Found

**Note:** School had never been so hectic for me, added with the pressures of preparing for college, it's really a bitch. But I'm pulling through. Anyways, to anybody who's still reading this, even though it's by far the shortest chapter I've written, here's what I've managed.

* * *

><p>"Kakashi. Yamato," Tsunade bowed her head respectfully to the ANBU agents as she took a seat on the wooden chair beside Kakashi's desk. Her gaze fell upon something familiarly orange - a creased copy of her husband's best-selling crap of a book, <em>Icha Icha Paradise<em>. She scrunched her nose in disgust. Only that cheating bastard was idiotic enough to put his lewdness on paper and had the decency to sell it.

Why Kakashi even bothered reading the piece of shit was what baffled her.

"Good evening, Tsunade-sama," Yamato, ever the polite one, greeted her with equal courtesy as he stood beside his grey-haired colleague.

"The City of Stone is frantic," Kakashi informed without further delay. He never was one for extraneous formalities. "Rōshi had been captured too. They had already lost Han to Akatsuki and they are left with no beast."

Tsunade furrowed her brows as she analyzed the alarming news. "When did this happen?"

"About a week ago."

"And we only found out about this now?"

"I apologize, Tsunade-sama. The ANBU team that was scouting submitted the report as soon as they returned, but our stacks had been full."

An irritated growl escaped from the woman's throat. "Then from now on, make sure that every report concerning the Akatsuki is made priority!"

Kakashi dismissed the woman's trademark temper and simply nodded. "Has there been news from Sakura-san?"

Tsunade shifted uneasily in her seat and tried to stifle the worry she had been suppressing. She had entrusted the espionage mission to Sakura with full faith in her competence to succeed. Equipped with intelligence and skills (not to mention the courage and the drive), she was more than capable of the job.

However, her anxiety only magnified each day her apprentice failed to report back. She felt guilty because she knew Sakura did not deserve her doubt, but in a way she had come to think of the pink-haired girl as her own daughter. Having lost Dan and Nawaki was enough.

"I'll give her more time. It's only been a week."

"There's another news," Yamato added. "A Grass woman reported that her husband had been shot by a man whose description matched Sasuke's."

Tsunade cocked her brows at this. _Sasuke, huh?_ "Did she know what Sasuke wanted from her husband or why he was killed?"

"No, Tsunade-sama," the brown-haired ANBU replied. "His file was clear but our outside sources informed us that he was a double spy for the Sound and the Grass. His wife seemed to have been unaware of this though."

_So Sasuke is working as Orochimaru's hitman? What the hell is that snake plotting?_

"I see. Is there anything else?"

The two ANBUs shook their heads. "Then Yamato you're dismissed. Kakashi I need to talk to you."

* * *

><p>"Good evening, belle dame."<p>

Sakura's lips formed into an affable smile when she stumbled upon her favorite doorman. "Hidan!"

Hidan flashed his perfect pearls and more than willingly returned her warm greeting. "Miss Sakura. I shall guess that you watched the meteor shower?"

"Hai! Did you see it too?"

"Of course. Manning the door can be rather uneventful. I'd say it was one of the highlights of my night."

"One of others?"

"Yes. The other is being able to see you tonight, Miss Sakura. You do look beautiful."

Sakura's eyes shifted uneasily to the ground, not quite sure how to respond to his unexpected compliment. Her face felt hot and she was certain that her cheeks had flushed to match her rose lips. Truthfully, no one had ever told her that she was beautiful. Her parents certainly did not count. And Itachi...

"Ah, but pardon me, I shouldn't keep you from going back to party," Hidan said before she could thank him.

"Oh, hai. I suppose I should," Sakura muttered, then out loud, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."

She didn't particularly feel like heading back to the party. Not that she had a choice. She considered her self lucky that she had been able to escape Madara and get some fresh air but he would start looking for her soon enough. Cracking her knuckles and twisting her head from left to right, she entered the ballroom once again.

Something had changed.

Someone had tipped the balance.

Here and there three or four people would be gathered in their own little clusters. Sakura noticed that a higher concentration of people were arrayed towards the center. She reasoned that it was probably because of Madara, it was his birthday after all. However, her instincts told her it was not so because he hadn't garnered such a following earlier in the night. Her feet were already moving towards the crowd.

Sakura pushed and shoved her way towards the middle, her ears filled with anonymous whispers:

"His red hair..."

"...has sexy green eyes..."

"Creepy mothe..."

"...so hot in his white tux..."

The sight of the beast confirmed her fears and placated her worries.

She had found Gaara.


	11. Deception

"Ah, there you are!" Sakura stiffened, feeling like "a deer caught in the headlights", when she heard Madara's voice. His authoritative, derisive, irksome voice.

_Shit._

"My dear Sakura, you wouldn't _believe_ who came to my party tonight."

Sakura was silently stabbing the Akatsuki CEO with her emerald daggers when Gaara was brought beside him by a redhead Akatsuki who bared an alarming resemblance to the Suna beast.

"Here he is! Ah, Sasori, you're here too! Why, look at that, it's a Suna reunion!" Sakura bit her lip when Madara's cold fingers slid around her wrist, sending shivers of detestation up her spine. "Sakura here is our newest dancer, if you haven't heard. And she's from the Sand too!"

Gaara stared pointedly at the cherry head, his green eyes seemingly blank. But Sakura knew that he was, more or less, questioning her presence. With a blink of her eyes she assured him as effectively as with her comforting hugs, that she was there for a reason. Reason that she would have to explain later.

"Yes. We've met."

"Gaara-san," Sakura started tentatively, acutely aware of everyone's scrutinizing eyes. She pondered over her words for a few moments, but not a moment too long. This was a trial; every single word she uttered (or didn't), every movement, every mistake, no matter how inconsequential, could be used against her. "So you've decided to join the Akatsuki too."

Gaara nodded, playing along. "As you can see. And likewise?"

"As you can see. And I'll say, I do prefer the red cloud pillows over Suna's brown sacks that's for sure," she answered with false laughter. "They're much softer."

Gaara reciprocated with a laugh of his own, but his was more subdued and was filled with genuine amusement. Inside, he was being flooded with a rush of emotions. Relief. Optimism. Strength. To name a few. And while the pink-haired Leaf was still naive to the true cruelty of the Akatsuki, he had renewed faith that they will make it through. He only hoped that when they did, she was still a flaming fire, unconquerable by Akatsuki's darkness.

Madara's resonant laughter was the last to die out and Sakura could feel the inconspicuous hairs of her neck stand up. They had to get out of there fast. That meant she had to talk to Gaara **soon**.

"Why don't you join me for a drink by the deck, Gaara-san? Surely, we have a lot to catch up on."

She linked her arms with Gaara's without waiting for his consent. As they swished past Madara, his visible red eye which was ablaze with an unspoken ultimatum, locked with piercing peridots that dared him to stop her.

_Later, fucker.  
><em>

* * *

><p>There were so many questions that she was itching to ask him.<p>

How did they capture him?

Did they hurt him?

Did he find out anything important?

What should they do?

But Sakura knew that they were being watched.

It was hard not to feel the imposing presence of an Akatsuki. But which Akatsuki hid behind the shadows of the buttress, she wondered. Whoever he or she was, was certainly making it harder for them to disclose anything without censored words.

Gaara closed his hands around hers reassuringly.

"How are you, Gaara-kun?" she asked with quiet concern.

"Better."

"You sure?"

"You worry too much."

"And I shouldn't?"

"It's healthy to worry once in a while. But you're doing so unnecessarily."

"I'm not the only one."

"I know. But I look fine don't I?"

"You look like it. Doesn't mean you are."

"Sakura."

"Okay, okay. Sorry."

"_Why work _here anyway?"

"I thought I'd _explore_ my opportunities."

"And is this job the one you're _looking for_?"

"Hai. And for your _information_, I'm earning quite more than I did at Suna."

"Hm. _I see_."

Suddenly, Sakura saw her chance. Flashing Gaara a flirtatious smile, her warm saccharine breath brushed his cheek as she whispered to his ear, "Play along."

Sakura tugged at his red tie and pulled him towards her. She brought his rigid face inches from hers and pouted her glossed lips, "I've missed you, you know."

Then slowly, she closed the distance between their lips with a soft kiss, but Gaara remained frozen. She embellished him with more kisses waiting for him to respond but he didn't. Seconds ticked by what felt like hours and she was starting to panic. _What if this is a stupid idea?_

Finally, he reacted by grabbing her waist and pulling her closer to him. Her hands slid down from his jaws and encircled his neck. Suddenly, it felt like a hot summer day amidst the chilly autumn night as their kisses and embraces became more fevered, his wet lips overpowering hers, her tongue swirling with his.

* * *

><p>The Akatsuki's eyes widened in suprise as he watched the Sand beast devour the little cherry's face. He could feel the tuna casserole he had earlier attempting to escape his stomach. He covered his ears with his blue hands, protecting them from the scarring smacking noises that filled the air.<p>

_Yuck._

He prayed to Poseidon that they'd stop soon because contrary to what one might think, he wasn't the least bit interested on what other people did during their sexy time.

* * *

><p>"Good," Sakura whispered breathily in between their kisses.<p>

"Let's..."

He tasted like cinnamon.

"...my..."

She tasted like rum.

"...room..."

His lips were soft and full.

"...pretend..."

She was a damn aggressive woman.

"...sex..."

Air couldn't even pass in between them, but they felt as though they weren't close enough...

"...mmk?"

Gaara responded with a moan as he swept her feet off the ground and carried her bridal style to the Imperial Suite where they escaped the watchful eyes of the Akatsuki.


	12. Reconsideration

**Note:** I know, when will Itachi and Sakura ever hook it up? Well, Sakura's only been with the Akatsuki for about a week. And for those who love to read, I recommend Hunger Games. That is, if you haven't already read it. :)

"Every man dies. Not every man lives. " - William Wallace.

* * *

><p>Sasuke surveyed the arena.<p>

His coal eyes touched the bloodied carcasses that were heaped on the cold cement. A recap of what had briefly transpired flashed before him in animated fragments. Several dozens charged him. The aggressive, the courageous, the brawny, the blood-thirsty, the frightened - he feigned indifference as he delivered them to death with the blade of his knife. He didn't feel remorse nor did he think much about them. They would have died sooner or later. But for reasons he could not decipher, he remembered avoiding contact with their widened eyes and muting their cacophonous cries.

"H-hh-el-p."

Sasuke's attention flashed to the direction of the disembodied voice. Within seconds he spotted the speaker: a nameless figure who trembled and squinted and croaked and wobbled and feebly clutched his heart...and inevitably faced death. _A survivor, huh?_ How admirable and pitiful. At that point, survival did not offer the prize of life but minutes, maybe even hours, of an existence so excruciating, as life gradually escapes him.

"Finish him, _Sasuke_," Orochimaru hissed from behind.

"He's already dead. Let's leave."

"What's the matter, little Uchiha? Do you _pity_ him?"

The Uchiha prodigy turned to Orochimaru's serpentine gaze and held it. Pity? There was no room for that. Pity was the gateway to betrayal and betrayal...

Wasn't that the reason he was there in the first place? Itachi's betrayal had always been his drive and it brought him to where he was. But what was he doing there anyway? It sure felt as if he was wasting time. He had no qualms about killing Itachi and he had proved that redundantly.

"I said he's dead. Let's_ leave_."

Sasuke turned his back to him signifying his decision and signaling the end of their discussion.

And if Orochimaru didn't think he was capable enough, then he'd kill him too.

* * *

><p>The distinctive clicking of heels announced Tsunade's arrival and Shizune, the dutiful assistant that she was, decided that it would please her master if she brought her a bottle of sake.<p>

_Maybe I should cook some chicken breasts too...put that lime sauce that she likes so much on it._

Alright, so she was being a sycophant.

But for valid reasons. Master Jiraiya was already back from his "researching" and was with Naruto at the moment. However, once he comes home... Well, Shizune was merely ensuring her safety in case the lightning strikes. Tsunade's mood rivaled the weather in its fickleness. With Master Jiraiya added to the brew, well, it becomes a concoction for a tempest.

Unfortunately, even though most of the time she was not the cause of her master's anger, she was certainly always the unlucky recipient of it.

Her thoughts were curtailed by the sound of a husky voice then the slamming of a door, then silence.

Shizune lowered the bowl of cilantro slowly onto the kitchen counter and crept cautiously towards the origin of the noise. Once she could hear muffled voices, she stopped. Crinkling her forehead, she tried to construe their conversation:

_"What about **him**?"_

_"What **about** him?"_

_"Tsunade, look, he's bound to find out -_

_"Well? What is he going to do? It's not like he's been the most faithful man lately."_

_"What I'm saying is that until your relationship with him is -_

_"What relationship! You know what he does..._

The folds of her confusion deepened as Shizune considered what she had heard so far. Tsunade-sama was undoubtedly talking to someone about Master Jiraiya_. _But who?

_"I'm not- I- look, I'm not just using you..._

Tsunade's voice hushed into an inaudible vibration causing Shizune to involuntarily lean in closer.

_"I promise that I will end it. Just - will you wait until then?"_

W-wwait what! End what? Who was she talking to? Shizune let out a huff of frustration and pressed her ear against the door when she heard Tsunade's heels come closer. Swiftly she hid in the adjacent room, careful not to shut the door so as not to make any noise. When she did not hear Tsunade or the man come out, she hastily slid out and went back to the kitchen, deciding that it was definitely too risky to attempt another shot at eavesdropping.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry," she breathed, running her fingers through her pink locks. "I hope I didn't scare you. I just- I saw the opportunity-<p>

Gaara gave her soft smile before saying, "I know, Sakura-san. I understood your intent. I did replace my father as the head of Sand Society didn't I?"

Sakura returned a shaky laugh, "I apologize. I hope you know that I wasn't underestimating you, Gaara-san."

"Of course."

Sakura, still acutely aware of their passionate kiss, offered to mix him a drink before the ensuing silence could aggravate her discomfort.

"What will you have, Gaara-san?"

"Rum."

Sakura's lips tilted into a smile. "Great taste. On the rocks?"

"Yes. With guanabana."

Pouring rum on an old-fashioned glass, she stirred their conversation to the professional lane, "Well, I suppose you can begin explaining how you got caught."

The beast's jades narrowed as he mentally recollected the events that had passed. Clearing his throat, he sat on the edge of Sakura's bed and stared absentmindedly at the replica of Hokusai's Behind the Great Wave at Kanagawa.

"He used bombs."

When he didn't say more, Sakura stopped flaying the guanabana and curiously looked up. He seemed to be transfixed on the painting but his distant eyes and parted lips informed her that he was lost in something too familiar - reminiscence. She resumed peeling the fruit.

She cut it into half.

She set one half aside.

She sliced the other half into several pieces.

She removed the seeds.

"His name was Deidara," he finally continued. "You've probably seen him around. Blonde hair with a ponytail?"

She put the fruit in the blender. "Yes, I saw him tonight. And at the audition too I believe."

He nodded confirmation. "He started bombing the Suna capital. It was an aerial attack so we could not do much. I dispatched the ANBU to the round the borders and sent the rest of the guards to evacuate the civilians."

She poured the guanabana juice on the ice first. She didn't think she'd ever had such a lengthy exchange with the famous Shukaku.

"I managed to stir him near the northern border so I reckon there wasn't much damage."

"That's unusual. Something that big should have made the news."

"I suppose, but it could also affect our city greatly if it had. It would alarm not only our people but those of other nations too. Fewer people would travel thus a weaker economy and discouraged citizens. One thing would topple over another like dominoes."

Sakura handed him his glass and took a seat on the coach across from him. "But people are bound to find out anyway. I'd say it would be better to warn them as soon as possible."

"Ah, but the surge of panic among the people would inevitably reach those in charge, and _they_ will undoubtedly convene to discuss the matter. Then, they would probably take action if not declare war."

"War? Don't you think that's a bit of an exaggeration?"

"Power and money feed cupidity. They are demons that are capable of doing _anything_. They sure have Madara by the reigns."

Sakura murmured her agreement.

"Anyway, it turned out that Deidara's bombs weren't designed to be destructive. Instead, they emitted chloroform upon detonation. I awoke to find myself in a basement cell."

"What did they do to you?"

"They beat me, kicked me, whipped me...all to get me to cooperate. They were careful not to touch the areas where the bruising can't be covered, like the face," Gaara let out a sardonic laugh, and then whispered, "You don't know what they're capable of doing."

When Sakura merely stared at him with disbelief in her emerald eyes, he went on, "I had it easy, Sakura. There were others. The screams that resonated through the cement walls..."

The kanji **love** 愛 tattooed on the left side of his forehead crinkled in sorrow that was deeply embedded in his aquamarine irises.

"And it seems almost...worse...when I would be escorted out of my cell in order to get fresh air, I would pass by other cells...spotless, immaculate, as if no blood had been shed the previous night...as if nothing had happened at all."

Then he asked the question which made her reconsider if she had truly been ready:

"Will you be able to deal with that, Sakura?"


	13. Monitored

_"Will you be able to deal with that, Sakura?"_

What did it matter what she thought about her limitations? She _needed_ to be able to deal. Talking to Gaara had strengthened her will to endure and succeed. Maybe it was because her mission didn't seem as daunting as it did yesterday or days ago. She was not alone anymore. Gaara was her ally.

"Where do they let you stay?" Sakura asked Gaara. "I hope they're not still keeping you in that awful cell."

"No. They moved me to a cottage. There are several of them on the beach."

"Other cottages? What do you mean?"

"I suspect that the other cottages house the other beasts that they have caught. The beach setting is brilliant on Madara's part," Gaara responded after taking a swig of his rum. "It's his own private beach so no one else is allowed. The noise of the waves and seagulls drowns cries of help and cries from beating. If any of the beasts somehow succeed in breaking out of their cottages, their only choices are to either head for the ocean or face the guards. The shoreline ends with a hill on one side and big rocks on the other so that limits the possible escape routes."

Sakura nodded as she mulled over the information. "I need to tell Tsunade-sama about this."

"How do you correspond with her?"

"Ayame. She works at Ichiraku Ramen Bar in Iron City. Once in a while I'm allowed to go since it's neutral ground."

Gaara considered this, downed the last of his drink, and then stood up. "Alright. Well, I'm tired. Let's call it a night."

Sakura watched as Gaara started making his way to her bed while unbuttoning his black dress shirt.

"Uh...are...are you staying for the night?"

Gaara turned around and met her questioning gaze. Meanwhile, Sakura was trying her best not to let her eyes wander anywhere near his exposed torso.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"What? No! I was just wondering...if, you know, they need you back to your cottage or something."

Sakura almost slapped herself. She could feel her cheeks heating up. _They're probably the same color as my hair right now_.

"Well, I think we made it clear to everyone that we are going to be preoccupied for the rest of the night."

Sakura was sure that her jaw had dropped to the floor. _Preoccupied? WHAT? Wait, what's going on? Are we really doing IT? I wasn't really serious!_ "Uh, right. Um, okay, let me just- I'm gonna go get ready for bed."

Sakura ran to the restroom for sanctuary. For a whole minute, she just stood dumbfounded against the door._ Shit, he's waiting! Fuck. Is this really happening?_ After taking a deep breath, she turned on the faucet and started cleansing her face. After drying her face with a towelette, she grabbed her favorite moisturizer,_ Luna_, which she had bought from Moon City, and started applying it on her face, arms, and legs. _Thank goodness I shaved!_ She quickly changed out of her evening dress into her nightgown and checked her reflection in the mirror one last time before returning to the bedroom.

Sakura tried not to make eye contact as she slipped into the covers of her bed. As soon as she got settled, she felt Gaara's arms slip around her waist as he pulled her closer. Her heart started pounding so loudly that she wondered if he could hear it.

"There are cameras in this room," he whispered in her ear. "So make it seem like you like this."

As soon as Sakura started scanning the room for hidden cameras, Gaara whispered, "Don't look for them. Just play along."

Gaara started planting kisses along Sakura's cheek...and jaw..."I have a messenger too"

...and neck..."His name is Baki. He's one of the men guarding my cottage"

...and collarbone...and all the way back up to her lips.

Sakura broke the kiss and looked at him. "But Temari-

"Shh! She does not know. Yet. I haven't been able to send anything. It's too difficult for Baki at the moment."

He kissed her again.

"But how?"

"It doesn't matter. After tonight, if we do not see each other again and you need to contact me, find Baki."

Another kiss.

"He usually has night shift. But you can find him at Gym Akatsuki every morning at 7."

Sakura deepened the kiss instead of responding. The influx of information coupled with the reminder that Gaara had to go back to isolation reignited her fears. And at the moment, she did not want to be overcome with fear. She wanted to relish the comfort and familiarity that Gaara offered.

* * *

><p>Sasuke decided that it was time to leave Orochimaru.<p>

Orochimaru had sent him on a mission to get the recipe for the Curry of Life from a shop in River City. Leaf City was becoming more powerful with each passing day and the damn snake wanted curry!

He had no time for bullshit. The only reason he agreed to do the mission was because he wanted to get specialized weapons from River City's famous Artisan Company.

Sasuke thought that whoever gave River City its name was blind. The city was abundant with caverns and mines. It had one winding river and it wasn't at all remarkable.

A tan muscular woman greeted Sasuke when he entered Artisan Company's office. The black pleated dress that she wore looked quite odd on her, though he supposed that it looked quite odd in general. It seemed incongruous with the ambience of the mining city.

"Good morning. My name is Sonya. What can I do for you?" the woman asked in a surprisingly soft voice.

"I'm placing an order."

"What is your name sir?"

"Uchiha, Shisui."

"Alright Mr. Uchiha, what would you like?"

"I want two dozen three-bladed kunais. Add three inches to the hilts. Three dozen shurikens. Make the edges serrated. Four scrolls. A bag of makibishi. And senbons. Make them part lead."

"There is an additional 100 ryō fee for customized weapons. Is that okay?"

"Fine."

"Your order will be done in six hours. Would you like to wait or have them delivered?"

"I'll wait."

"Alright. Your order costs 900 ryō. Will you be paying up-front?"

"Yes."

"Okay, if you can just sign at the bottom, you'll be set."

Sasuke set out to find the curry shop while waiting for his order. The shop turned out to be nothing more than a shabby bungalow run by an old woman named Sanshō. The shop was quite busy when he arrived and a little boy was running around the place serving people their curries.

But what intrigued Sasuke was the fact that Neji, Lee, and Naruto were sitting not too far from him._ Long time, no see_.

Sasuke put on his hood and lowered his head to keep them from seeing him.

"Naruto, have you heard from Sakura-san?" Sasuke heard Neji ask.

"No. Maybe Granny has but she wouldn't tell me even if she did."

"I'm surprised Tsunade-sama sent her to such a dangerous mission."

"I believe in Sakura-chan! Her strength can rival the force of the ocean!" Lee interjected.

"I'm not really surprised. I swear Granny plays favorites!" Naruto replied. "But I was thinking that maybe I can spy on Akatsuki too! Then I can make sure that Sakura-chan is safe."

_Sakura? Spy on Akatsuki?_ Sasuke smirked. _She's still a fool._


	14. Paranoia

"What the hell was I supposed to do? They were about to fuck! I wasn't gonna stick around for that!"

Kisame crossed his bulky arms defensively. All the primary members of Akatsuki Co. were gathered in Madara Uchiha's office for their weekly meeting. Sasori was currently criticizing Kisame's ability to keep Sakura in line.

"It's alright, Sasori," Madara interjected. "Zetsu would have notified me if the dancer and the beast were doing anything of consequence."

"But she is a spy!" Sasori's deceptively angelic face contorted to reflect the raw outrage that he felt. "We should eliminate her immediately. Make it a warning to other companies."

"I'm fully aware that Sakura is a spy," Madara retorted. "But then again she's not much of a spy is she?"

He turned his attention to the infamous Uchiha. "What do you remember of the girl, Itachi? I'm sure you've seen her before."

"She was a classmate of Sasuke's," Itachi answered passively. "She was quite forgettable so there's not much I remember."

It was true. Itachi barely remembered Sakura. However, it was not necessarily because she was forgettable. No. He could hardly forget her nowadays. He simply had been too busy to pay further attention to anything else _back then_.

"Hm," was all Madara responded. He got up from his swivel chair and grabbed a brandy snifter from the liquor cabinet. The other Akatsuki observed their boss silently as he poured himself some cognac. He swished the liquor around in his glass but did not drink from it.

"Let's keep things the way they are," Madara continued after a long stretch of silence. "Let the girl think she's in control. Let her have hope. If she wants us to believe that sham of a romance between her and the beast, then for fuck's sake, let us humor her and believe it."

* * *

><p>Sakura awoke to the smell of crisp bacon. She noticed that the space next to her on the bed was already empty.<p>

"Gaara?"

Sakura did not regret anything that transpired the night before. Although Gaara was a generally reserved person (even around his closest friends), he certainly had no qualms about letting go in bed. At first, she thought that the idea of having sex with Gaara was weird. He was _Gaara_. A close friend. A man she respected. And he knew her all too well. But then she realized that that was what made the experience much more intimate and erotic. Last night she was able to love him in ways that not even Naruto could. In return, he revealed to her a part of him that probably not many people have witnessed.

Gaara turned out to be in her kitchen scrambling some eggs, so Sakura decided to take a quick shower. When she returned to the kitchen, Gaara was already seated at her miniature dining table.

"Sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you. You know, you didn't have to cook. We could have ordered room service."

"I know. But I wanted to do something nice for you. This could be our last time seeing each other."

Sakura's eyes dropped to her plate. "Don't think like that. I'm sure everything will work out."

Gaara said nothing.

* * *

><p>Itachi or the Leaf?<p>

Sasuke could not decide which one he hated more.

On one hand, Itachi had killed their whole clan. No one, besides himself, had been spared from the massacre. Not even their mother and father.

On the other hand, it had been Itachi's loyalty to the Leaf that had caused him to kill them. Of course, no one else knew about that significant twist to the story. Itachi wanted to play the silent hero? Well, he wouldn't let him.

As Sasuke went to retrieve his order from the Artisan Company, he decided that he would start with the Leaf. When he faced Itachi, he wanted to be able to tell the traitor that he had destroyed his precious city. He also wanted to be able to show him how much stronger he had gotten and how pathetic he was in comparison.

But all this will happen in due time.

For now, he needed to pay a certain someone a visit.

* * *

><p>Sakura felt paranoid.<p>

She was so sure that Madara would call her into his office and threaten her about her devious scheme the night before.

But _nothing_.

Kisame had knocked on her door after her breakfast with Gaara and had simply asked her what she was planning to do with the rest of her day. A tall burly man dressed in a black shirt with the Akatsuki insignia, black jeans, and black combat boots came in shortly after to escort Gaara back to his cottage.

"Well, I suppose I should go to the dance studio to rehearse my number one more time," Sakura told Kisame after Gaara left. "I mean, there really isn't much to do here."

"There's a lake nearby if you wanna go there instead," Kisame offered. "No offense, but I've watched you rehearse your number a hundred times already."

Sakura ignored his last comment. "A lake? But we're by the beach. The terrain around here doesn't seem complementary to a lake."

"It's man-made."

Sakura was impressed. But then again this was Akatsuki. Akatsuki was ambitious if nothing else. And unethical. They probably enslaved their prisoners and made them do all the labor without any compensation.

It took ten minutes to drive from Hotel Akatsuki to the dock. When they arrived, a guy with platinum blonde hair named Suigetsu approached them.

"Kisame, it's been a while man," Suigetsu greeted, pounding Kisame's right fist with his own. "We got a lot to catch up on."

When Suigetsu finally took notice of Sakura, a prurient smile crept on his face. "And who's this pretty lady?"

"This is Sakura. She's the new dancer," Kisame replied and then turned to Sakura. "Sakura, this is Suigetsu."

"Pleased to meet you, Suigetsu," Sakura gave the guy a shy smile and shook his hand.

"You guys going to the Center then?"

When Sakura gave him a confused look, Suigetsu elaborated.

"There's a town center on the west edge of the lake. There's a movie theatre, some shops, and several restaurants there."

Just then, Sakura noticed an orange haired guy approaching. He seemed _very_ familiar.

"Suigetsu!" the guy called. "Hey man, bring _Ame_ down for me will ya?"

"Yahiko! For sure man. Hey, have you met Sakura-chan over here? She's the new dancer!"

Yahiko's gaze followed Suigetsu's and landed on Sakura. "Of course! How are you doing today, Sakura-san? Still remember me, I hope?"

Sakura could not help the huge smile that graced her face. She could already tell that Yahiko was one of those people who just naturally exuded copious amounts of energy and cheekiness. He was like Naruto.

"From the audition, right?"

"I'm pretty unforgettable, aren't I?" Yahiko winked at the cherry head. He turned to her bodyguard, "Kisame, how you doin' man? You guys goin' to the Center too?"

"Yeah, we were just headed there."

"Well, if you're busy man, I can take Sakura-san. I'm free for the rest of the day."

"Yeah? Alright. I have to meet up with Itachi anyway," Kisame replied. "Later then Suigetsu, Yahiko. Be good cherry."


	15. Reminiscence

Sakura liked Yahiko.

It was quite impossible not to. When Kisame left, they had taken Yahiko's boat,_ Ame_, to the Center. They had lunch at Zetsu's Yin and Yang restaurant for vegetarians. Afterwards, they saw Yukie Fujikaze's latest movie _Snow 2_ (which Sakura thought was even better than the first one, a rare occurrence). They visited the shops for a little bit and then decided to split a brownie sundae. Around sundown, they headed back to _Ame_ and cruised around the lake for a while.

"Do you wanna hear a song I wrote?" Yahiko asked Sakura while he took his guitar out of its case.

When Sakura nodded her head, Yahiko went on, "It's not done, but I wanna know what you think about it."

_ You are still crying_

_ You are still enduring all this pain_

Sakura's thoughts immediately wandered to Sasuke.

_ I used to hate it so much_

_ But now I want to save you_

_ I want to save you_

She knew that it's hard to change a person. Most people are stubborn. They think that no one could possibly understand what they're feeling, what they're going through. And maybe that had been the case with Sasuke.

It was true that she would probably never be able to comprehend the horror and anger and sadness that Sasuke felt when he lost his family. Her parents were both healthy and still happily married.

_ I want to save you_

_ From the bottom of my heart_

All she could offer Sasuke was her love.

She knew why he refused it. He thought that only someone who understood would know how to help him. Even if he did find someone who understood, how could he be sure that they had the answer? What if they were just as broken?

_ Don't cry_

_ Don't cry_

She did not need to understand anything else. All she knew was that he was in pain and that he needed love.

_ If you keep crying_

_ Nothing will happen_

_ Just like the rain_

"Well?"

Yahiko's voice jolted Sakura out of her thoughts.

"That was - that was really good, Yahiko."

The orange-haired man gave a quiet laugh at her response. "You sure? You looked kind of dazed while I was playing."

"Really? Sorry, the song just - it reminded of someone."

"Damn. We barely spend a day together and I already got competition?"

Sakura laughed at Yahiko's attempt to uplift her mood. She probably looked like a miserable wench when she was thinking about Sasuke.

"Sorry. I don't know what got to me. But honestly, that was amazing."

"Thanks. I haven't shown the song to Konan or Nagato. I wanted to finish it first."

Sakura nodded in understanding. "Have you always wanted to be a musician?"

"No, actually. I have always loved writing. Ever since I was a little kid, I would write about everything. It was almost therapeutic, you know? I didn't have the best childhood. I was an orphan. That's how I met Konan and Nagato. We were all orphans. When Jiraiya took us in, he helped me improve my writing skills. He also introduced us to other things. As you can guess, one of them is music.

"Music is just a way to get my feelings across. I could have stuck to writing and published a book. But most people would rather have someone sing the message to them so they can sing it back rather than have to read it on their own."

Sakura was surprised when Yahiko mentioned that Jiraiya had adopted him along with Nagato and Konan. _I wonder what happened?_ However, as curious as she was, she could not forget one thing: she was still on a mission.

* * *

><p>"Kakashi, give me something good."<p>

It had been two weeks since Sakura had left to spy on Akatsuki Co. and Tsunade had yet to receive news. She could only presume that the mission was either progressing really well or not progressing at all. She hoped that it was not the latter.

Tsunade poured herself another shot of sake. As a CEO, it was safe to assume that Tsunade liked to be in control. Therefore, the fact that she had no idea what was happening to Sakura (if Sakura was even alive) was driving her to insanity.

"The Mist has finally revealed that the Akatsuki has Utakata," Kakashi reported. "They were able to hide Utakata's capture for a while since they still had Yagura. But yesterday, the Akatsuki successfully captured Yagura too. The Mist had no choice but to seek help from us and other cities. Many cities are unwilling to help though. They see this as an opportunity to gain advantage over one of their bigger competitions."

There were many days when Tsunade just wanted to bash her head against her desk really hard hoping that she'd pass out and not have to give a fuck about the world. It was clearly one of those days.

"I said something good, Kakashi!" Tsunade replied, slamming her shot glass against her desk after taking another shot.

Kakashi said nothing. _She will calm down on her own._

He took a seat on the couch across from her desk and pulled out his copy of_ Icha Icha Paradise_. He flipped to page 156 and unfolded the top corner which he had used as a marker.

"Kakashi!"

The grey-haired man looked up from his book; his left eyebrow was cocked up as indication that he was waiting.

"Well, I think the best strategy is to aid the Mist on the condition that they help us protect Naruto from the Akatsuki."

Kakashi gave a small nod. "Now that that's settled, do you want to get dinner?"

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> The lyrics to Yahiko's song are based on his direct quotes. Also, Sakura and Itachi will get together in due time.


	16. Surprised

Sakura feigned interest in her wine. Sasuke brought it. _Hermitage_ or whatever it was called. He said it was expensive.

Sasuke was the last person Sakura expected to bump into at Akatsuki. She had been spending more time with Yahiko recently. He was a person to whom she can talk to about a million different things and never get bored. Of course, sometimes they would have casual sex, but that was all it was. Casual. She had a suspicion that who he really liked was Konan. She came up in their conversations so much and she doubted that it was because they were in a band together.

Sasuke surprised Sakura one night after one of her shows. Kisame had just dropped her off to her suite. She was beyond exhausted. She had gone to Iron City earlier that day to drop off a letter for Tsunade-sama but she had to hurry back for her show. All she could think about was trying out her indoor pool.

"Hello, Sakura."

Sakura screamed. She had begun undressing and had totally missed Sasuke who had been resting on her bed. Then she stood there for a minute, just staring open-mouthed at Sasuke, attempting to process the reality of his presence.

"Wha- Sas- What the fuck?"

Sasuke smirked. "I thought you'd be happier to see me."

Sakura frantically scanned her door and her windows and her surroundings. "How did you get in here? What are you doing here? Where have you been? You can't have possibly sneaked here because this is Akatsuki but you're here an-

Sasuke's smirk fell into a grimace. "You're still annoying I see."

"Oh, I'm sorry, you kinda just popped back without warning! God, I'm so awful for having questions!"

It was quiet for a moment but the beating of Sakura's heart drowned her ears.

"You're spying on Akatsuki."

Sakura fumbled for words but her thoughts were in such a disarray that none managed to escape her lips.

"I will kill you, Sakura, and everyone you love. Then I will kill Itachi too. Your loyalty is misplaced, your goal is foolish."

"You're telling _me_ that?"

Sakura didn't wait for his answer. She got a pair of bikinis from her closet and went to change in the restroom. When she emerged, Sasuke was holding two glasses of the wine he had brought. He handed one to her.

"Sasuke, I'm tired and I don't really feel like hearing about how you want to kill everyone right now," Sakura said as she dipped herself into the pool.

Sasuke leaned on the railing beside the pool and gazed towards the flaming city lights. He was silent again. But there was always silence with him.

"Someday, I will rebuild my clan. The Leaf will prosper, once again, under the Uchiha name."

Sakura held back. There was once a time when she thought her future could include little emerald-eyed Uchihas. It was a hope, a wish that now proved unlikely to ever come true. Actually, she thought that the whole prospect of Sasuke rebuilding his clan was unlikely to ever come true. Or if it did, she felt that it would disintegrate soon after. Love might not be for Sakura, but she believed in love. She believed that a family without love is destructive not only to itself but to others too. While Sakura hoped to bring Sasuke back, she did not continue to hope for more.

"You know, I can kinda understand why you would just disregard everyone else, but Naruto...he hasn't done anything but care about you."

"Most things require a sacrifice."

"But that's the thing, you don't have to sacrifice anything. The Leaf is your family. We'll welcome you back and support you if you only choose to."

"They killed my family, my clan! Why would I want to run back to them?!"

"What? The Leaf had nothing to do with the massacre of your family!"

Sasuke let out a sardonic laugh. "You think too highly of the Leaf."

Sakura swished her wine around until it turned into a blood red vortex. She searched her mind for any memories that might support what Sasuke had just revealed. Had Tsunade-sama mentioned anything about that? All she could remember - vaguely - was the commotion that Itachi had caused after he had murdered his family. The Uchiha Manor had been surrounded by ANBU, medics, reporters, onlookers, and lots of yellow tape. She was still fairly young when all that happened.

"The Leaf had nothing to do with the massacre, Sasuke. That just does not make any sense!"

"No, he's right, Sakura."

Sakura and Sasuke whipped their heads simultaneously at the sound of the third voice.

"Hello, little brother."

* * *

><p><strong>Note: <strong>I don't know, I kind of like that Sasuke and Sakura ended up together. I just did not like that she ended up being a housewife. I mean, I have nothing against housewives, but one of Sakura's biggest accomplishments was proving her own strength by becoming a medic nin. Oh well.


	17. Escape

_Tsunade-sama,_

_ I'm sorry that I did not write sooner. I have found Gaara. He and the other beasts are being held captive in cottages on Akatsuki's private beach. As for me, I am safe. Please don't worry about me. Do let me know what our plan is and let everyone know that I miss them._

"Love, Sakura. Well, I'm glad she's safe. Yamato, arrange a meeting with Sand. They're going to want to know about this. We also need to formulate a plan as soon as possible."

Yamato nodded his head and left Tsunade's office.

"Any news about Sasuke?" Tsunade turned to Kakashi.

The grey-haired ANBU looked up from his dog-eared book. "He was last seen in River City buying weapons. That's all our intel on him."

"And how long ago was that?"

"A week ago."

"A week ago?! We have how many ANBUs and none of them can keep track of that little brat?!"

"Six of our ANBUs are at Sand City for extra security while Gaara is gone. We also just sent ten of our ANBUs to the Mist to help placate the worried citizens. The rest of our ANBUs are either here or out on other missions. We even had to send some Jonin out on ANBU level missions because there is a shortage."

The crinkle on Tsunade's forehead grew even more pronounced. "This is ridiculous! We are on the verge of a war and we don't have enough men!"

"It has been decades since the Leaf has last been at war. Not a lot of our citizens feel the need to join the Defense and Security League, let alone become an ANBU."

Tsunade sighed. Kakashi was right. She was just frustrated because she was trying to get everything moving at an urgent pace but no one seemed to be mindful of their current situation. It was as if she was trying to fight a battle with comrades who haven't even realized that the battle was real.

"Kakashi, round up Sai, Torune and Yugao. I want them to start training Jonin to become ANBU. Tell Yamato to start recruiting more Genin and Chunin. I want as many of our eligible citizens to be able to at least defend themselves should anything happen."

* * *

><p>Sakura was witnessing a reunion that she did not want to be a part of.<p>

Itachi had never stepped foot into her room before so she was sure that he was there because of Sasuke. _I guess Gaara was right about the cameras_.

"He's right. The Leaf knew that the massacre was going to happen."

Sakura look at Itachi quizzically. "What? That's not possible. No one in the Leaf would ever allow something like that to happen!"

"Hn. You're foolish for swallowing all of the Leaf's lies," Sasuke fired back.

"Well, there must be a reason then! This is just - I don't believe this!"

"The reason is that-

"The reason," Itachi interjected. "Is that our family got too greedy. They were embezzling funds from Leaf Co.'s corporations, banks, hospitals, even places of worship."

"You _killed_ our whole family just because they _stole_?"

"They were also planning a coup d'etat and the assassination of the Hokage."

Sasuke's face contorted into a vindictive scowl and his fists curled tightly into balls. "I don't care! We lost our whole family because you wanted to save that old geezer! Fuck them!"

Itachi looked pointedly at him as if he was trying to make him understand despite knowing it was a lost cause. "Our whole city was about to plunge into chaos because of our family. I did what I had to do."

Sasuke pulled out his gun and pointed it at his brother. "You didn't have to do anything you traitor!"

"Sasuke! What the fuck are you doing?!" Sakura demanded. "Put the gun down!"

Itachi smirked. "It's okay, Sakura. Sasuke's not going to kill me."

Sakura didn't know what kind of game Itachi was trying to play but it was a stupid one. I_s he trying to get himself killed?!_

"Did you think that Orochimaru was going to make you stronger? You're still foolish, little brother."

"Shut up! You don't know anything about me!"

Sakura had no idea how the situation was going to turn out but she wasn't about to just watch them kill each other. She ran to her closet and grabbed her navy backpack and leather purse. Then she started fumbling in her purse for a pepper spray.

By the time that Sakura got the pepper spray, Sasuke had already released the lock on his gun. She had to act quickly but she managed to spray Sasuke directly in the eyes. It had been fairly easy because she was sure that she had ceased to exist to Sasuke as soon as Itachi arrived.

"AHHHHHH! You stupid cunt!"

"Sakura!"

Sakura's hands started to shake violently as Sasuke fell to the ground, coughing and violently rubbing his eyes.

"Sakura."

She couldn't move. All of a sudden, she couldn't take her eyes off Sasuke writhing and screaming and twisting...

She didn't know why but she was reminded of that man who she couldn't save. Except he hadn't been writhing or screaming or twisting. That would have been better. No, he was just limp. Cold. _Dead._

"Sakura, we have to go. The Akatsuki definitely heard that gun shot."

_Gun shot? Did Sasuke fire his gun? _Itachi's voice sounded far away.

Itachi grabbed her arm and headed for the stairs. It was clear that she had escaped into her memories and left him alone in reality. The rest of their escape was a blur of stairs and movement to Sakura.

The steady motion and quiet hum of Itachi's Audi gradually brought Sakura back to her senses.

"Itachi. Where are we going?"

"We have to leave Akatsuki. I've blown my cover and you've, well, they've known for a while that you're a spy."

Sakura slumped deeper into her seat. "Great. I've made a mockery of myself."

When Itachi did not respond, Sakura asked again, "So where _are_ we going?"

But a "hn" was all she got.


	18. Foretold

"You could have told me, you know," Sakura said to Itachi. "Hell, you could have told everyone and you wouldn't have had to leave Leaf!"

"It's not that simple. I _murdered_ my family because the Hokage told me to. That wouldn't have reflected well on the Hokage."

Sakura did not reply. She had more to say but she supposed that the issue was just a matter of opinion.

Itachi and Sakura had been on the road for two hours already so it came as a relief when they finally passed a sign that read **_Welcome to _Tea City**.

"Are we renting a hotel room here?"

Itachi did not answer and Sakura was getting annoyed. He hadn't been a chatterbox when they were still living at Akatsuki but he certainly hadn't been mute either like he was at the moment.

It turned out that Itachi had a house in Tea City. It was a two-story building that overlooked the ocean. It had a clear view of the Degarashi Port and had a respectable backyard. It was also on the outskirts of Tea City so they had privacy. Sakura fell in love with the place right away and, for a moment, she could overlook Itachi's irritating silence.

Sakura could tell that no one had been at the house for years. The dust that had settled was thick and gray and cobwebs had started to form. Sakura searched for towels that she could use to start cleaning up.

"We have to go to town to buy supplies," said Itachi.

"Okay, fine."

"And you're going to have to think of a fake name."

"Okay. Hi, I'm Mariko Yamada."

Itachi gave Sakura a weird look that she could not quite discern. Then he replied, "Let's go."

* * *

><p>Sakura liked the simplicity of Tea City. It didn't have buildings with fifty floors like Lightning City and it was not nearly as big as the Leaf but it was likable in its own way. The Tea City Town Center consisted of mostly of tea houses, shops, and food vendors.<p>

She decided to stock up on food first. _Start with the basics. Eggs, green onions, soy sauce, butter, milk... _

Sakura had no idea what kind of dishes Itachi liked so she just decided to get a bunch of food that she thought he might want.

_Udon noodles, fish, miso paste, soup stock... or should I make onigiri tonight?_

When she was finished, she began looking for Itachi.

She found him at Haru's Clothing for Men, looking at some shirts.

"Hey, would you mind putting these in the car?" Sakura asked while she handed Itachi the grocery bags.

Itachi nodded and took the bags from her. When he left, she began browsing through the racks to look for a shirt for him.

"Here, what do you think of this?" Sakura asked Itachi when he returned. She held up a plain navy blue shirt. "It's a nice color, don't you think?"

"It looks good. You should get yourself some clothes too."

"Right. How long are we staying here It- I mean, Ren?" Sakura mentally slapped herself for almost forgetting to use Itachi's fake name. They were in such a peaceful environment that it was easy for her to forget that they were on the run.

"Just buy a lot of clothes."

* * *

><p>Sakura and Itachi were walking around the Town Center to see if there was anything else they needed. When they passed by a psychic booth, the dark-haired woman behind it called out "Miss, would you like to have your reading done today?"<p>

"Uhh," Sakura was not a believer of "psychic powers" and was not at all interested, but saying 'no' had always been one of her greatest weaknesses.

"It's free of charge," the woman added, clearly noting Sakura's hesitance.

"Sure, I guess." Itachi gave Sakura a skeptical look.

"Alright dear. Sit down and pick three cards from the pile."

Sakura pulled three cards from the bunch and handed them to the woman. She wondered if she should have chosen the cards more carefully but then again they all looked the same facing down.

"Ah, the high priestess," the woman began. "There is someone in your life who is preventing you from moving on completely. Until you let of that person, you will never be completely satisfied."

Sakura cringed a bit because she did not want to say it or even think it, but she immediately thought of Sasuke. _It must be a coincidence. I bet most people have that one person that they need to let go of in their lives. _

"Your next card is the sun. This is one of the best cards that you can pull from the pile. When you think of the sun, you think light, happiness, positivism. Your family and your friends are very dear to you and that is what might save you in the future. As long as you have them, you will be able to make it through anything."

Sakura agreed with that one. Her mom, dad, Tsunade-sama, Naruto, Ino, Hinata, Neji...she did not know what she would do without them. They were the ones who have always supported her and encouraged her to find her strength. As far as she could tell, they have already saved her.

"Hmm, your last card is the empress. She represents fertility which can signify new beginnings such as the start of a business or the birth of a child."

Sakura looked incredulously at the woman. "So what does that mean? I'm not even married so it definitely can't mean the birth of a child."

"I am merely telling you the meaning of the cards you chose, my dear," the woman replied calmly.

"You know, thanks for all this but we'll get going."

Sakura yanked Itachi out of his seat and stomped back to the car. "Stupid psychics! Such a waste of my time! They should get real jobs instead of spouting out bullshit to everyone."

"She seemed to be doing okay to you until she got to the 'birth of a child' part," Itachi teased.

Sakura shot Itachi a venomous glare. "You said something? No? I didn't think so!"

For once, Itachi actually chuckled which lifted Sakura's spirits a little bit.

When they got home, Sakura channeled all her anger and frustration into cleaning. She was able to finish dusting, sweeping, and washing the sheets within two hours. Itachi had already started cooking.

"What are you going to do about Sasuke, Itachi?"

"Nothing. I told him that when he is strong enough, he can face me."

"Are you really going to fight him?"

"If that is what he wants."

"But why? You both are each other's remaining family. I don't understand why you would choose to fight instead."

"Instead of what? He hates that I killed our whole family."

Sakura didn't say anything. She did not even know how she felt about the situation herself. He _killed_ his family. But it had been for the Leaf. To _save_ the Leaf. She gathered that it took true honor and courage to do what he did. He practically sacrificed his own life to save the Leaf. He could have still had his family and friends. He could have gotten married and had kids.

"Will you ever come back to the Leaf?"

"I suppose I would like to go back to the Leaf as a free man. However, my secret has to die with me."

"We can tell Tsunade-sama and she will pardon you, I'm sure!"

"That will only change what people think of me. They will still be mad at _somebody_. Except now, it will be the Hokage and her government."

Sakura knew he was right but it still unsettled her. Itachi deserved freedom, she knew that now.


	19. Proposition

_...speculate that a war is brewing. Last week, two hundred civilians gathered outside the office building of the Mizukage, Mei Terumi, to protest the kidnappings of the beasts Utakata and Yagura. Earlier this morning, four hundred civilians marched to the Sand Corp. headquarters to demand to see their renowned beast, Gaara. Here is a live report from Suna. Yumi, how's it going out there?_

_Yumi: Kohana, I'm here in front of the Sand Corp. headquarters right now and as you can see people are shouting "Bring out the beast!". They have been here since nine o'clock this morning and they are fervently demanding to see their leader. Gaara-san's absence was first brought into question after Suna's Scorpions cancelled four consecutive games. The filming for his upcoming and highly anticipated movie **Gone **__has also been postponed. Gaara's disappearance has not been verified by Sand Corp. so these people still have hope. However, it is looking as if Gaara-san is indeed gone. _

Sakura turned off the TV. Sakura had messed up and she knew it. She had not even lasted long enough to save Gaara from Akatsuki. Hell, before she even started they already knew who she was. However, before she had left with Itachi, they had at least humored her. At least, even if they were only toying with her, she still had the chance to save Gaara. Now, she was hours away from Akatsuki premises with an ex-Akatsuki member and no Gaara. Tsunade-sama and Sand Society had put their trust on her and she had failed them. Just like she had failed to save the life of that man before she had left the Leaf and just like she had failed to keep Sasuke from leaving. Sakura knew she didn't even deserve self-pity. She fully deserved to feel the misery that her failure had brought upon her because she knew that she could have done better. _I will do better. There is no other option._

Sakura stood up from the couch and brought her empty cereal bowl to the sink. As she scrubbed the bowl and rinsed it with water, she wondered where Itachi was. He was already gone when she woke up at 8 in the morning. He didn't leave a note or mention where he was going beforehand so she assumed he wanted some space. However, it was already 10:30 in the the morning and he still wasn't back. She didn't know if she should be worried.

With nothing to do, Sakura contemplated contacting Tsunade-sama since she was finally in a safe place to do so. _But what was she going to say?_ She didn't have Gaara, she was living with Itachi, and she had no clue what to do next. She needed a plan first.

Freeing Gaara was priority. That was the whole reason she had even left the Leaf in the first place. She knew that the only way she could contact Gaara was through Baki who frequented the Akatsuki gym every morning at 7. She was going to have to make a trip back to Akatsuki to relay her message. Before she could do that though, she needed to plan how she was going to break Gaara out.

Sakura's thoughts kept drifting back to Itachi. She had the feeling that she was going to need his help if she was planning on succeeding. The problem was that she had no idea what his agenda was and where his loyalties lay. Sure, he killed his whole clan because of the Leaf and he deserted Akatsuki with her but one can never be too sure. She was just going to have to confront him. She didn't have time to wait and see what his intentions truly were. She needed to act. Now.

* * *

><p>Madara Uchiha was not happy. He was not happy at all. He should have known not to trust anyone from the Leaf. He was from there after all. <em>Bonds<em>, what stupidity. Sometimes, he forgot just how seriously those idiots took their ideology. He had fallen for Uchiha Itachi's schemes but he was not going to be fooled again. Now, the Leaf's most infamous criminal and most renowned medic are out, about, and gone from his grasp. He got a bit too overconfident with that cherry head, thinking that he was ten steps ahead of her. Of course, he probably was but then he did not foresee the betrayal of Itachi.

Just his luck, however, that another lost Uchiha stumbled upon his door step. Madara's lips curled up behind his mask. Maybe he was better off without Itachi. He was tiring and losing the vitality that he once had anyway. Sasuke was younger, angrier. Best of all, he had the potential to be molded into whatever Madara wanted him to be. Yes, that suited him just fine.

* * *

><p>Itachi took his time walking back. He had risen early that morning as he had every day before. He supposed that the sun setting was beautiful, breathtaking, romantic - however people liked to describe it - but he preferred daybreak. It was a peaceful feeling to gaze up at the indigo skies where the stars still twinkled and the moon still glowed but the dark veil that had shaded the world only hours ago was gradually disappearing. Dawn brought about purples, blues, oranges, and pinks in the horizon much like sunset did, but it signified an awakening. It told the roosters to start crowing, the people to start rising, and the world to get going. But it wasn't just the vision that awed you, it was the beauty of that short moment when the quiet sounds start to pierce the silence and you know that the day had started.<p>

Most of the time, his early morning peace would be broken by the presence of another Akatsuki who would remind him that they had a mission and that his life was miserably unalterable. Today, he still woke up with his heart clenched until he realized that he was not in Akatsuki anymore. Although he knew that he was not free from the organization and that he should actually fear for his life now, he somehow felt free.

He had taken advantage of his freedom and had extended his morning walk to explore the little village. He had stumbled upon a forest clearing where various flowers of different shades grew. A bush of blue geraniums reminded Itachi of Konan. She loved blue flowers. He missed her. Although he was always surrounded by women, he didn't really care about pursuing a relationship. He wanted one with Konan but she rejected him. He didn't fully understand why. Maybe it was part of his punishment for murdering his family. Or maybe Konan was just meant for someone else. He had always thought that she was too good for him.

Itachi bought omusubi for him and Sakura on his way home. Sakura was another subject. Her relationship with his brother seemed to be deeper than he had initially thought. Sasuke appeared to still dislike her but he could tell that he also cared enough about her to find their bond a threat to his search for power. On the other hand, Sakura's dedication to his brother was more blatant and firm. Maybe she was the key to bringing Sasuke back to the path that he had originally wanted him to be on. Yes, Sasuke had been faithfully making himself stronger so that he could take his revenge on him someday, but he had been relying too much on the wrong people. If he could make Sakura strong enough physically and emotionally, then maybe his brother still had a chance.

"Itachi! Where have you been?" Sakura asked as soon as he stepped foot in the house. "I was getting worried! It's already almost noon!"

Itachi ignored her and set the paper bag with the omusubi on the kitchen table. "Eat."

Sakura was almost used to Itachi brushing her off. _Almost._ Sasuke did that to her too and she hated it. However, she knew just to ignore it. Just as she was finally starting to be comfortable with the silence, Itachi asked her a question that almost made her choke on her omisubi, "Sakura, you are still in love with Sasuke?"

Well, it was more like a rhetorical question the way he put it but it made her uncomfortable. She did not want to discuss her feelings about Sasuke with his older brother, even if they were estranged.

"Uh, well, I love Sasuke and I always will. But only as a friend. I've deluded myself long enough."

"Hn," was all Itachi responded. Sakura looked at the older Uchiha expectantly as she ate her lunch. She'd be lying if she said that she wasn't curious as to why Itachi cared about that sort of information. She did not know whether she should elaborate some more or simply let him ruminate over what she had already said.

"To what lengths will you go for Sasuke?" Itachi finally asked.

Sakura swallowed her food and looked into his dark, probing eyes. The directness and intensity of his gaze made her break eye contact right away. He was a smart guy, that she knew. She wouldn't be surprised if he could guess what her thoughts were.

"I don't know," Sakura replied sadly. "I don't know anymore. I don't know if I still love him because I haven't been around him in a while and I don't know if he's ever coming back. Love is supposed to be unconditional, I know, so maybe I'm just a coward. But I can't love him from afar. He always keeps me at arm's length physically and emotionally."

"He cares about you more than you know."

"How would _you_ know?"

"I've been away from him longer than you have, yes, but it's not that hard to see. The harder he tries to hide his feelings, the more emphasis he puts on them. Sometimes silence is louder than words."

Sakura was more confused than ever. Here was Sasuke's bane of existence telling her that Sasuke secretly did love her back. She almost wanted to believe him but she was too jaded by constant rejection. She would be content just to get Sasuke back and she told him that.

"Sakura-san, I have a proposition for you," said Itachi. "I will help you get Gaara and the other beasts back. In return, I want you to guide Sasuke and to be there for him. I realize that I'm asking a lot from you, but he doesn't have many reliable people supporting him, you know that."

Sakura always had something to say, a brilliant comeback or a rational reply, but for once, she was stumped. Her thoughts got tangled over "help you get Gaara" and "want you to guide Sasuke".

Itachi knew the position that he had placed her in. Judging from her glazed eyes and partly-opened lips, he had given her a lot to think about. "You don't have to answer me right now. Think about it and let me know your answer tomorrow."

Sakura fell so deep into her thoughts that she failed to notice when Itachi finally finished eating and left the table.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Not gonna lie the past chapters have been kinda half-assed because of time. I still don't have too much time but I feel like this chapter's a bit better. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated :)


	20. Nostalgia

**Note:** Thank you guys so much for reading this story :) Yes, I'm finally just getting to the part where I focus more on Itachi's and Sakura's relationship. I guess I should also explain some things.

Keep in mind that while we're already into Chapter 20, it's only still been a couple of months tops since Sakura has left the Leaf. My original intention _was_ to have Itachi and Sakura fall for each while she was still in Akatsuki but somehow that didn't feel right to me.

The Sakura that we see in Akatsuki is a bit of a mess. She was in a depressive state when her patient died in the beginning and she grew even more depressed when she failed as a spy (because frankly she had no idea how to be one). Her sexual relations were, in a way, a sort of reprieve from the frustration she was feeling. Gaara offered her security and Yahiko offered her short bursts of happiness. I wanted her relationship with Itachi to be something more than a short-term relief.

Anyways, I hope that clarified some things at least :) Definitely feel free to voice any additional concerns that you guys might have.

* * *

><p><em>Darkness.<em>

Sakura was enveloped by a feeling of familiarity. She was once again stuck in this cold, abysmal place...though she didn't quite know where she was. All she knew was that she had been in this place before and that it was not a good place. Sakura felt like she was going to vomit. There were no ice or snow or icy stalactites in the void, not even a gust of wind, that much she could tell. Yet, she shivered as if she had been standing naked outside on a snowy day. Her heart beat with such rapidity that she thought she might have fainted from it. Sakura rubbed herself for some warmth as she fought to keep her teeth from chattering.

Then she heard it.

The baby's cries.

All of a sudden, she remembered what the place was. Countless times she had frequented the damned place and every time, she failed to save the baby. The stupid baby was always dying somehow. Sometimes it would be dying of hunger. Sometimes it would be dying of sickness. Most often, however, it would be drowning. Choking in its own blood. She didn't know how she knew that since she couldn't see anything. It was pitch black. How did she always find her way to the baby? It eluded her. She just _knew_ every single time and it was terrible knowledge.

Should she even attempt now? Her efforts were always futile anyway.

Sakura rubbed her hands up and down her arms even faster. The cold was quickly impairing her ability to concentrate but as far as she could tell, she was going to die in the stupid void with the stupid baby. _Damn. It. It's fucking. Free-z-zingg. _

Sakura decided that she would just wait it out. She would just wait to see what would happen if she didn't try to save the baby. After all, she didn't have anything to lose. Death awaited both of them either way.

Suddenly, Sakura's surroundings shifted and she was now staring down from the top of a steep set of stairs. Her green eyes widened in horror as she watched the baby tumble down the stairs like a soccer ball. With no time to contemplate how the situation escalated so quickly, she held out her hands helplessly. "NOOOO!"

* * *

><p>"NOOO!"<p>

Sakura sat upright on her bed, sweating profusely and gasping for breath. Her eyes scanned her room frantically, slowly taking in from the bright light that spilled from her window and the wooden dresser that stood against the light blue wall, that she had just awoken from a bad dream. _It's okay. I'm in my room. It was just a dream. A really bad dream. _

The cherry-head quickly got up from her bed and ran downstairs to the kitchen. She had dreamt of that same dream on several occasions but never had it ended with the baby tumbling down a set of stairs. Never had it really terrified her. She couldn't stand to stay in her room for even a second more, even if she knew that her room was harmless and it was the dream that really scared her.

When Sakura reached the kitchen, Itachi looked up from his newspaper. His eyes quickly flitted up and down to signify that he acknowledged her presence but he would like to return to his reading. However, upon seeing her, his eyes darted back to her form once more. She supposed she must have been a sight. In her haste, she had forgotten to fix her hair, wash her face, and put on some pants. She always went to bed with nothing but an over-sized shirt on and she would usually flit around her apartment half-naked when she didn't have work.

Sakura self-consciously tugged down at her shirt and quietly said, "Good morning."

Itachi reached for his tea cup and took a sip from it. "Hn."

It didn't escape Sakura that the older Uchiha sipped his tea without fail every morning. Sometimes he would have bread or pancakes with it but not often. It made her wonder why the older Uchiha rarely permitted himself to experience pleasurable things. Food was a pleasure that just so happened to be essential to life and he wouldn't even take advantage of that. Sakura decided that she would make omelettes for both of them. She pulled out eggs, cheese, green onions, bacon, and mushrooms from the fridge and seasonings from the cupboards.

"Have you made your decision about what I asked you yesterday?"

Sakura oiled up the pan and turned on the heat.

Yes, she had tossed and turned the night before over Itachi's proposition. It really should have been a simple decision. She either wanted to or did not want to. If she were to choose based on what the first answer that popped in her mind was, she would have agreed.

She cracked the eggs on a separate bowl and beat them until the yolks were fully blended with the egg whites.

_However,_ this was a pretty important decision. She knew that she owed it to herself to at least analyze the situation and weigh the pros and cons. The pros included having the chance to help Sasuke (she had definitely gotten a bit wiser and stronger since he had left), being able to gather intel on Sasuke, Akatsuki, and whoever else she would cross paths with, and being able to utilize Itachi's help which was the most essential to finding Gaara and completing her mission. The cons were further rejection, potential mental and physical harm, and, she dared not discount it - death.

Sakura flipped the omelette before slowly turning around and responding.

"You know, I don't think I'll be of much help to you, but I'll do it."

"What happened to the confident Sakura I met at Akatsuki?" Itachi asked with a faint smirk.

Sakura smiled. Ever since they had left Akatsuki, Itachi had been broody and tense. Nothing like the Itachi she had first met. The Itachi she had first encountered was witty and flirtatious. Or so it seemed. Not that she particularly wanted him to revert to his old self (if that was even his "self" or just a facade). She just wanted him to brighten up a bit.

"You know, at first, I didn't think so," Sakura replied with a steady gaze. "But now, I'm convinced that Sasuke needs your support more than he needs mine."

Itachi merely stared back at her. She really didn't feel like talking more about Sasuke. It was too early in the morning to be discussing such serious matters, but she continued anyway.

"There is no use playing the evil brother, Itachi. Whatever it is that you are hoping to gain from this - this lie that you have led us all to believe, you will never get it. Sasuke doesn't need me and I have repeatedly - and stupidly, if I might add - denied that in the past. But I think I've known it all along. His hate for you is like this big ass wall that is blocking his vision of what's ahead. All he can think of is destroying that wall by killing you. That's the only way he can move forward and he's going to be stuck behind that wall forever if you don't help him.

"I will still do as you wish because I want to save Gaara and I care about Sasuke. But I just wanted to remind you that even though he's your brother, I watched him grow up. In a way, I know him better than you do."

To Sakura's surprise, Itachi gave her soft smile. "Yes, you and Naruto - don't look too surprised. When a beast like Naruto goes about proclaiming that he's going to bring his best friend, a _criminal_, back, it's hardly surprising that even I would hear about it. So I suppose you are right. I still want your help. But this time maybe we can put together our efforts in saving Sasuke. We should formulate a plan right now though. I suspect that Madara will waste no time recruiting Sasuke into Akatsuki."

Sakura was still a bit dumbfounded that Itachi received her statement with such ease."You're right."

"The first thing you can do is call for reinforcements. We will save the beasts first but we can't have them interfering when we look for Sasuke."

"Right, then I should write to Tsunade-sama. I had been meaning to do that anyway."

"No need. There's a cell phone in one of the cupboards. Don't worry, no one can tap our calls."

Sakura put the omelettes on two plates and handed one to Itachi.

* * *

><p>Sakura serving him omelettes had produced a nostalgic effect stronger than he had anticipated. It reminded him of when his own mother would serve him breakfast, along with the rest of the family. Weird that it never really crossed his mind how long ago it had been since he had experienced such banal pleasures.<p>

Itachi cut a piece of the omelette with his fork and took a bite. _Not bad. _

His mind proceeded to wonder about all the other things that he had given up upon becoming a criminal. _Friends._ Probably the closest person Itachi had to a friend in Akatsuki was Kisame. Kisame loved fighting but he was smart and respectful. He was also willing to acknowledge those who are far stronger and better than him. He might be a criminal but he was still a human being who was capable of being a friend. Still, what if he had grown up with _normal_ friends? And several of them? Itachi scrunched his nose. He actually couldn't picture it.

_Women_. Despite what Kisame had thought, Itachi could actually count the number of women he had slept with with only one hand. Just because many women flocked to him didn't mean that he particularly wanted anything to do with any of them. Besides, he didn't want to form any attachments to anyone who couldn't conform to his lifestyle. It wasn't out of preference but out of necessity. He was a criminal after all.

Not surprisingly, there weren't many women who fit his requirements.

"Ooh!"

Itachi looked up from his plate. Sakura was visibly excited from something she had spotted on the morning paper. With a big smile and sparkling eyes she revealed, "Naruto's movie just came out today! Hinata, his girlfriend, is in it too. Hyuga Hinata. You've probably heard of the Hyugas before. Well anyway, she's one of the main characters. Ino's in it, Sai, Hanabi, Kiba - I miss them so much and I bet it's going to be really good! We have to see it!"

What a funny woman, Itachi thought. Her moods changed so drastically and too often. He simply took another bite from his omelette.

"Hmm...let's see...there's a small movie theater around here, near the Tea Villa...yep and there's a showing at 5:30 and another one at 9:30. Perfect. Let's go to the 5:30 one and have dinner after! What do you say?"

He supposed they could use a night out. It was a bit risky to be out for such a long period of time and at such hour but they would be gone soon enough anyway. He planned to depart for Akatsuki the next day.

"Alright. But don't forget to call home. We're leaving tomorrow and our plan has to be enacted accordingly."

"Got it. Don't worry."

The end of their conversation followed a sort of awkward silence and both resumed finishing their breakfast at the same time.

After he cleared his plate, Itachi offered reluctantly, "Thank you for the breakfast. It was nice."

Sakura's emerald eyes widened for a second, not having expected the gratitude, but she quickly returned his gesture with a soft warm smile. "No problem, Itachi."


	21. Revelation

They departed at precisely 2:30 the following morning.

Sakura couldn't fathom why they had to leave at such an ungodly hour. They didn't return home until 10 o'clock the previous night so she was quite exhausted. It had been a fun night though. Naruto's movie, _Nine Tails_, was really well-done. The plot was unique. The special effects were grand and extensive but not overdone. The actors performed splendidly. It was no wonder that the film was a box office hit, garnering more than a billion yen within it's first week.

They had dinner at Wasabi's afterwards. It was rather uneventful, besides the fact that she couldn't stop ogling Itachi the whole night. She fought to repress her growing attraction with logic. _He's a criminal and I'm probably only attracted to him because he looks like Sasuke. Besides, I don't think I'm even his type. Nope. I've seen the girls that he hung out with at Akatsuki. They're all big-boobed and gorgeous and...I mean I don't have small boobs but what if he likes really big boobs? _

Of course, it didn't help that Itachi seemed quite happy that night. His smile, as the cliche puts it, was to die for. It wasn't a smile of overflowing joy but rather, a shy one. Mostly, however, it was his eyes that expressed his contentment. Just by looking at him, Sakura couldn't help but feel that everything was somehow alright.

Sakura mentally slapped herself. She couldn't. She didn't even dare think about the possibilities. She had neglected her duties long enough.

Wrapping her blanket tighter against her, Sakura watched the infinite darkness through the car's window. She wanted to get some more rest during the car ride but her thoughts plagued her. She wanted him and it bothered her that it was so sudden. Sure, it had been a couple of months already since they first met but the desire to be close to him had never taken her before. Just sitting in the car, less than a foot away from him, she suppressed the urge to hold his hand. It was not quite the same as the longing she had for Gaara or Yahiko. Those encounters had all been for _her._ They were to satisfy _her_ needs and to comfort _her_. With Itachi, all she could think about was what she could give _him_. He was so lacking - lacking in love, in support, in normality...and she wanted to give him all of it.

She wasn't in love with him. No.

Sasuke had made her cautious of that emotion.

However, she truly did care about Itachi and she liked the simplicity of their relationship. There was nothing particularly special about it. They didn't have an instant connection when they first met nor did they discover that they had a variety of similar interests. They didn't even talk much to each other. They were simply content to have a companion.

At the moment, that was all she needed.

She reached out to hold Itachi's right hand. He didn't jump or flinch like she expected. He simply looked at her for a moment, his eyes betraying his confusion, before he was forced to turn his attention back on the road.

"Thanks, Itachi," Sakura told him, feeling the need to justify her actions. "For everything. You're not obligated to do anything for me." _And yet you have helped me so much._

Itachi was silent for a moment and it seemed to her that he didn't quite know how to respond. She took comfort in the fact that his face, while mostly unreadable, was placid enough. He didn't seem annoyed at least.

After a bit of thought, Itachi finally gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You agreed to help Sasuke and you've always stood by his side. That's enough for me."

It was Sakura's turn to look at him. She studied his face which was dimly illuminated by the dashboard lights. _Sasuke._ It was always about Sasuke. Everything he did was for his younger brother and it bothered her for some reason. It seemed hypocritical of her because she had quite the obsession with Sasuke not too long ago. But maybe it was precisely because she had been in his place that she felt this way. Like her, Itachi had sacrificed a lot for Sasuke. Like her, he had surely endured pain and sadness. Their biggest similarity might have been that they would both go to great lengths for the people they cared about. The difference was that she had enough.

She could only give so much of herself. After all, she had a life to live too. She wanted to get married someday and have children. She wanted to buy a nice house with a big backyard. She wanted to travel to other countries. Most of all, she wanted to fall in love again, only this time, she wanted to be loved back.

She wasn't asking much but she knew that she would have to make changes in her life if she wanted different outcomes.

Whether he thought so or not, Itachi needed some changes in his life too. She didn't want to believe that he was content in devoting the rest of his life to his brother. No, she wouldn't let him.

"What would you want to do, Itachi, if you had the chance to lead a normal life?"

"That's a pointless question. We both know I can't have a normal life."

She disagreed with him, but she didn't voice her opinion. "That's why it's an _if_ question."

After deliberating, he answered, "I haven't really thought about it. It was never an option for me. But I suppose I'd like to settle down somewhere peaceful, out of the city. It gets tiring, all the bustle and business feuds, the constant vigilance...Maybe I'd travel too once in a while."

"You can do all of that now, you know."

"That's wishful thinking."

"Is it? Can you really not see the possibility?"

Truthfully, he never thought that he would ever leave Akatsuki. He really thought that he was going to die before he ever made it out of the organization. And while he liked his new-found freedom, he couldn't let himself enjoy it fully. He didn't know how long it would last and his priority was Sasuke. So sure, he saw a possibility, but there was too much uncertainty in the word alone that he wasn't going to let himself dwell on it too much.

Meanwhile, Sakura waited, but he said nothing else. Eventually, the hum of the car lulled her to sleep.

Her hand remained clasped to Itachi's.

* * *

><p>At around 4:15 that same morning, they arrived at Iron City where they were supposed to meet up with their reinforcements. It was in the opposite direction of Akatsuki but it was a safe, neutral ground.<p>

Unfortunately, it was also located in the snow-coated Three Wolves mountains. They parked right at the foot of the mountains because the city was inaccessible by cars due to the heavy snow. Sakura clenched her teeth as soon as she got out of the car and felt the first icy breeze hit her face. She was already dreading their ascent to the city where it would undoubtedly be much colder. She immediately searched the trunk for a thick jacket and hurriedly put it on. She also donned on some gloves and a scarf. Itachi joined her to do the same.

"You know," Sakura forced out, her teeth chattering, "When I think of iron, I think of heat and welders, not Antarctica!"

Itachi chuckled, but in his head he agreed with her. He was not the type of person to be easily discomforted but even he had to admit that the harsh winds and the icy temperature were a bother. "We should be out of here soon enough. It's only a rendezvous point."

Of course, she had been to Iron City a couple of times before and she had expected the cold to bother her less and less with each visit but that had not been the case.

They hiked up a bit to get to the cable cars which took them to the actual city. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by the city's renowned samurais. Or maybe 'greeted' was too warm of a word. As a neutral ground, Sakura surmised that the Iron City attracted many people with foul or questionable intentions. Hence, security was of utmost importance to ensure that no plots envisioned, even those of little consequence, would ever come to fruition. At least, not within their city.

A samurai walked forward to meet them and stuck out his right hand. "Identification please."

Being already familiar with the protocol, Sakura and Itachi handed their separate IDs to the man. A ray of blue light emanated from the man's mask and onto the IDs, signifying that he was scanning them and automatically sending the information to the city's database. The city kept everyone's personal information private, of course, but should anything happen, the city could at least narrow down the suspects.

Once they were cleared, they headed to Ichiraku Ramen.

The smell of hot ramen pervaded the restaurant and Sakura got a whiff of the aroma before she even entered. On cue, her mouth salivated and her stomach growled. After all, there was nothing comparable to a nice bowl of steamy ramen on a snowy day. A smile graced her lips as Naruto came to mind. He would have ordered 10 bowls in one sitting.

Suddenly, she saw the man in her thoughts running towards her. "SAKURA-CHAN!"

"Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed in surprise. "Baka! What the hell are you doing here?!"

Naruto was definitely not supposed to be a part of their reinforcements. He was too valuable to the Leaf for Tsunade-sama to risk his life. Sakura's cheeks reddened in frustration.

"Hehe," Naruto began scratching his head, a gesture that Sakura had come to observe as a sign of nervousness. "You see Sakura-chan, Baa-chan was just being really paranoid -

The pink-haired medic hit the beast with her purse. "Naruto! We can't be worrying about saving your ass when we rescue the other beasts!"

"You don't have to worry! I'm gonna get Gaara back! You better believe it!"

"How can you be so sure of that?! Even if-

Itachi, who had opted to simply watch the two, saw that they had quickly gained an audience. He put his hand on Sakura's back and interrupted, "I think it's best that we move along."

At that moment, Naruto's blue eyes widened as he finally noticed Itachi. "You!"

Sensing that their situation could get much worse (and with Naruto, that was a guarantee), Sakura ushered the blonde beast to their private booth. She had forgotten that Itachi was still a criminal in the eyes of her friends and had not thought about how she would explain the nature of their...friendship.

When they arrived at their booth, it was as she expected. Her friends' faces immediately lit up at the sight of her but soon grew grim when they laid eyes on Itachi.

There was silence for a moment.

"Hi guys."

Aside from Naruto, Temari, Ino, Neji, Hinata, Choji, Tenten and Shikamaru were also there.

"What is _he_ doing here?!" Temari barked. Her brother had been kidnapped by Akatsuki so Sakura couldn't blame her for being the first one to express her anger.

She sighed and turned to Itachi for help, but one look at him and she just knew that he wasn't going to say anything first. It seems that they both realized that anything he said would only go to one ear and come out of the other. Anger had a way of clouding one's judgment and it was imperative that she made them understand their circumstances if they wanted the mission to succeed.

Sakura took a seat and Itachi followed suit. "Look, I understand what you guys are thinking, but can you _at least_ let me explain?"

Just then, she was interrupted by a girl of average stature and long brown hair. "Hi everyone! It's nice to see all of you here again! Can I get you guys started with anything to drink?"

"Ayame!" Naruto, as expected, had the closest relationship to the waitress because of how often he frequented their restaurant. "I want some water and miso ramen dattebayo!"

Ayame smiled at the beast's enthusiasm. He really had a such an inviting personality. "Of course, the usual!"

"You know, you guys should open an Ichiraku at the Leaf too!" Naruto suggested fervently. "I'll eat there every day!"

Ayame laughed at the blonde's jest because she knew that he probably would. They had started giving Naruto discounts because of how much he ordered and how often he came by. Plus, he was the only person they knew who didn't mind driving an hour just to get ramen. Although recently, he had discovered that he could actually get it for take-out and ever since, he had taken to ordering several bowls worth of ramen to-go.

After everyone ordered their drinks and meal, Ayame left and the tension within the group re-emerged.

Ino resumed the conversation. "Well, you better have one hell of a good explanation, Forehead."

Everyone else nodded their heads in agreement.

"Alright. I'm going to make this as short as I can because we don't have much time, but essentially Itachi is gonna help us."

"How can we trust him? He killed his family and betrayed our city! Or did you forget?" Naruto interjected. "It's because he looks like Sasuke-teme isn't it!"

Sakura's fists clenched. "Naruto! You know that's not why.

"It _is_ because of Sasuke that we're working together, but not because he looks like him. Sasuke came to Akatsuki one day, just out of the blue. I was shocked because I hadn't gotten any information on him. Then, all of a sudden, he was there in my room. Itachi somehow knew that he was there-

"Cameras," Itachi clarified.

- and so he also came to my room and this whole confrontation happened. Sasuke pulled out a gun and things got out of hand quickly so I took a pepper spray and incapacitated him. I sort of froze after that so Itachi dragged me to his car because apparently Sasuke did fire a shot and Akatsuki would have heard that for sure if they hadn't already seen it. We went to Tea City after that. And now here we are."

"Right. That still doesn't explain how it is that we can trust him," said Shikamaru.

"Well, when Sasuke came, he said-

Sakura turned to Itachi. While it was essential that her friends knew what was going on, she also realized that his secret was not hers to tell. His whole life had revolved around it and it was only right that he would be the one to reveal it. He deserved that much.

His eyes grew darker, if that was even possible, and she could tell that he was struggling. She knew how much he wanted his secret to remain just that, but how could they save the beasts or Sasuke if her friends didn't trust him? Judging from his expression, he was aware of that.

Sakura held his hand and squeezed it to reassure him.

This did not go unnoticed by her friends.

"I killed my clan," Itachi finally spoke. "Under the orders of the city council."

His words were met with more silence. Sakura was sure that they hadn't been prepared for _that_. She sure hadn't been.

"I still wonder if the Hokage had really approved it, but I'm sure the council did. My clan had been planning a coup d'etat and I was acting as a double spy. In the end, I had to choose between supporting my family or my city."

"Wait, what?", "Coup d'etat?", Ino and Shikamaru said simultaneously.

"The council would approve something like that?" Tenten added.

"I'm sure you guys are aware of the longstanding rivalry between the Uchiha and the Senju. The mistrust between the two clans had already been brewing ever since the day the Leaf was founded. The second Hokage created the Leaf Police Force on the pretense of giving the Uchiha more power, but it had been merely to appease us. In actuality, it isolated my clan even more. Because of this, my father planned to overthrow the Hokage and the council. There were those who didn't agree with him, but most of the Uchiha did.

"Is it so surprising then, that when the council heard of this, they wanted to take drastic measures? No one could deny that our clan was powerful enough to take over."

Everyone ruminated on this revelation. It was certainly a shock for them to think that their own city would ever plot such a thing. Unknowingly, their unwavering allegiance to their home had clouded their eyes, making them believe that it was honest and infallible.

"So why did you do it?" Neji asked. "Why didn't you back up your clan?"

Itachi thought about this for a minute. It wasn't as easy for him to reveal his own intentions than it was to merely recount what could be called a piece of history.

"My clan...they are insignificant compared to our entire city. If they are gone, our home will continue to prosper. But if they take over, consumed by their greed and hate, they will only breed more negativity and hostility."

"But you took the lives of innocent people too!" said Naruto, pointing his finger at the older Uchiha for emphasis.

"Yes, I did. But did you think that I could kill some Uchiha and spare the others and everything would be fine? Even if I spared the lives of infants, do you think they wouldn't grow up inquiring about their families?

"I was the only one who could do it and I didn't have too many choices. If I didn't annihilate my clan, there would have been a civil war. Many lives would have been lost anyway but there would be no peace. The Uchiha would have taken over or the city would crumble from all the fighting."

Sakura, who had been holding his hand the entire time, gave it another squeeze. She had been listening closely too, for there were parts that Itachi never told her. His retelling of the story only convinced her further that he deserved so much more than what he was settling for.

When Itachi's onyx eyes met hers, she held his gaze, and in that moment he had a glimpse of what he had missed from leaving home.


End file.
